Looking Forward To
by Neku.GrandChase
Summary: [developing shounenai][YAOI]Carefully meeting people, a professor struggles to accept himself and to grasp his goal: finding a lover. But how will you do it in a sea of strangers?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Don't own Ragnarok Online. But I adore the romance that endured with the game, past all the bugs, bots, hacked items, game imbalances and what-not. I own my character though, my 3 year old character (as old as our game servers).

Warning: My stories have a tendency to lean on the yaoi bit of side. Although at the moment, I am not pretentious in adding any love interests on my story, as I'm basing it on my gaming. My poor professor needs some boy-loving…and dang-it, this place really needs a few good more yaoi fan fictions.

Beware of yaoi, a bit of cussing and the likes. I did not place this in M rating for no reason.

Second attempt at a Ragnarok Online fiction. I am attempting to update every single fic I missed out during the last five months.

* * *

In Prontera, it was altogether expected that people will find an assortment of people, an assortment of jobs, and an assortment of items being sold in an assortment of shops. 

Knights, Priests, Merchants and Blacksmiths, a pack of Novices scampering around. Such was the population of Prontera, Rune-Midgard. Maybe a smattering of a few Alchemists and Creators, Wizards, and barely one or two Soul Linkers around would be seen, such was the density of the people's preferences over jobs.

Which goes to say why people eyed the lone Professor, sitting by the cobblestone streets of South Prontera, face dug deep into a book of sorts, altogether weirdly.

* * *

Chapter 1: Entry

* * *

There was nothing strangely weird about him, or even special. Brown hair that ended in unruly locks, disrespectful ebony eyes, and a mini glass classily perched on the bridge of his nose. A Staff of Souls tucked in his belt, and a Romantic Leaf perched lazily on his lips…yep, nothing quite out of the ordinary for this professor. 

" 'Scuse me?"

A beautiful pink-haired female knight and a young, somewhat-bashful crusader stopped on their tracks, as the professor spared them a glance from the book he was enthralled earlier.

His eyes took a while of staring, before he returned to his book. "Shame you're already in quite an "enchanting" relationship. Your looks don't hurt my eyes…I'm quite jealous, really."

A rose-tinted hue blossomed from both the knight and the crusader's face, just in time as the professor stood up, brushed off some dirt from his pants and headed to the direction of the Prontera fountain.

The female knight, seeing a chance to make her boyfriend jealous, striked a fancy pose at the retreating professor.

"Aiyaa" She made herself all the more sound sexy, like one would hear from those undulating movies and games. "At least you sound more romantic than what my boyfriend can be…maybe a night with me would sound inviting to you?"

She winked, an almost-comic heart drifting from her to the Professor that stilled in an instant.

The professor turned around, an angelic and so-innocent face greeting her.

_Kyaa…maybe I did hook up a better fish today than that mommy's boy beside me…_

"Ah…miss…"

"Call me, Sakura…" she giggled.

"Ah…Miss Sakura then…" He let out a soft smile.

_Damnit, how can a guy be cute and sexy at the same time?!? Panties, don't drop on me now, please!_

The next words spoken by the kindly, young man put her in an immediate state of shock.

"I'm sorry for the misunderstanding…"

"Eh?" Her eyes reflected momentary panic.

"I was talking to _him, _that beautiful thing beside you." He smiled innocently, almost _too innocent_. The professor's lips curved into a sadistic smile seeing the distraught face of his target.

Walking past a stricken Sakura, the professor sauntered towards the furiously blushing crusader who seemed to have frozen in his place. A few bystanders slid glances at the trio.

"Would the strapping young lad deprive a humble scholar like me of his name?" He silkily delivered his sentence in an all too-practiced manner of asking, a finger running across the crusader's smooth chin.

"A…ah…r-Randal…s-sir."

The Professor gazed at his eyes, looks of longing reflected in his dark orbs. A naughty smile appeared before he settled his whole body against the crusader's thick armor.

"You reek too much of that woman's perfume." The professor's nose wrinkled in all honesty at the observation. "Really, she was ready to give you up the next moment a better looking guy comes along. Damnit…and you're such a cute one, Randal…"

To the shock of everyone, the professor immediately lunged for the crusader's lips, cheeks evident of the battle of tongues that took place. A few seconds past and the crusader found something new perched on his mouth. It was the other guy's Romantic Leaf.

He walked off, tongue licking his lips. Meeting the shocked and disgusted expression of the knight, he just seemingly paid no attention to her, a bit dazed by the stolen kiss earlier.

"Y…you…FAG!"

_Ow._

"You spawn of Satan!!!" She sputtered, her face red and her voice indignant.

She looked back and forth the two of them, her boyfriend and the seemingly quiet professor.

"Tch."

A momentary wave of hurt traveled the professor's face, before it went back to a cocky smile.

"I may be what you call me, but I'm no lover of pedophilia, Miss Sakura."

She saw red immediately.

"WHAT?!? WHAT the fucking seven pits of Hell are you – "

"Honestly, the boy doesn't even have his hormones yet. His height may fool you, but my guts tell me he's just fourteen years old. Am I right, boy?" He looked back, smiling gently at the teen.

"A…ah, yes…but how did you know sir?" The crusader embarrassingly tucked the leaf away, noticing the stares they were receiving from the slowly growing crowd.

"If I were to give you an analogy, let's just say your tongue tasted like that of a newly blossomed rose. Ah…I'm terribly sorry, was that your first kiss?" The professor looked abashed, although one cannot say if it was genuine or fake.

Everybody who had the interest to listen to the conversation jaw dropped as the crusader slowly nodded his head.

"_Warui… _(bad…) sorry about that." He genuinely looked apologetic.

Randal absently nodded; still a bit dazed from everything that happened.

"But I'd rather steal it than give it to somebody like her…" He jabbed a thumb at the knight like she was just an 'it'.

The knight was about to retort when she met with the professor's steely gaze. Something along the lines like _'I know you're just gonna use him as a trophy for your friends'_ and _'You just picked him up from a corner and forced yourself on him."_

She immediately stomped off, running to the general direction of the Prontera Chivalry. The professor gave a sigh of relief, and then turned back to the crusader, still unsure of what just happened.

"Well, it's good she's gone. Sometimes, we, men, have to look out for each other, you know?"

The crusader nodded, albeit hesitantly.

"Now don't fret, it's a wide world out there, and you're still young. More girls to meet, eh?" He tried cheering the distraught crusader up.

"Thank you…uhm…sir?"

The professor lit up, glad the youngster wished to know his name.

"Katze. Just call me Katze. I'm only twenty years old, you know, so you can lay off with the honorifics." He smiled warmly at the young lad.

* * *

(Prontera Fountain) 

"Hyuuu…so you just turned crusader three days ago?" The professor whistled, taking another bite from his slab of chocolate. The crusader was too pre occupied at the moment, assessing the other man, to answer the question.

Brown hair, dark haughty eyes, lean (very lean to be exact) body, with slightly a hint of muscle in the forearms and the abdomen. The customary fox shawl, part of every professor's attire, had a blue tint to it, its eyes eternally fixed to look like that of a mischief master. His shirt, well…wasn't too conservative for some standards. While most professors opted to at least show little skin as much as possible, Katze's uniform had a prominent slit that exposed the creamy skin of his waist. Not to mention the prominent cleavage leading to the…err…pelvic area.

"Oi…"

The guy had a weird character too…almost like dualistic. He can be suave, mysterious and dark…just like their first encounter a few minutes ago. But after relaxing quite a bit, the seemingly anti-social bookworm changes to a childish, boy that always speaks of weird things and random stuff…like right now.

"Hnnn…" Katze's eyes narrowed, noticing that the crusader was staring at him. Not sneakily as one would do, but blatantly.

"Don't tell me you've fallen for me, kid." He smirked, snorting at the same time.

The crusader shook up, attention immediately back to where they were now. The words took a few seconds to register before he pouted red, and puffed up in indignance.

"I'm not a kid! I'm already a crusader!" He defended, albeit too childishly.

"And yet you're still fourteen years old." The professor countered, salvaging his melting chocolate slab by eating as fast as he could. "You aren't even legally old enough to vote."

"I can take care of myself, you know!" He warranted, wanting to prove his manhood.

Katze just finished licking his finger of the chocolate slab's remnants, before he turned a curious eye at the crusader. Grudgingly, he avoided his glance, slid his mini glasses back up the bridge of his nose, and left off reading from where he left the book.

"There's a difference between being able to take care of yourself, and knowing how to take care of yourself." He spoke softly, a bit hoarse from eating too many sweets.

"You could have avoided the problem in the first place if you simply said no to her advances, you know." The professor stretched his palm a bit, concentrating until cold winds whirled around them. An ice crystal slowly formed in his hand. Katze took said crystal and began licking at it to quench his thirst.

"You're a man. You should know how to assert yourself."

Randal sputtered, apparently taken aback by such a comment. "I DO know how to assert myself!"

Katze raised an eyebrow.

"I…uh…just didn't do it last time."

Katze shrugged, giving the situation up. He snorted at him, although the snort came out to the sound of something like 'uke!'.

A moment of silence passed by.

"Uhm…can I ask you something?"

Katze merely slid a glance towards the kid, offering his permission.

"Are you really gay? Erm, just like Sakura said?"

A corner of the professor's lip tensed, but only just a bit. He closed the book at hand, losing interest at what he was reading. The mini glasses were put away, and the book was returned to its holster.

"I don't seem to quite get where the plot is headed towards to." He jokingly replied, a couple of laughs following the statement.

Randal wasn't amused having his question left unanswered.

Katze sighed, unnerved by the consternated stare the crusader emanated. "Should I say no? So that your first kiss wouldn't have mattered if it was with a straight guy?"

Randal concluded, a bit pacified and somewhat horrified. Although just a small part of him anyways.

"So you are gay."

A shiver ran down the professor's spine. Fists started to clench and unclench nervously. It took a larger amount of time before he calmed down again.

"…gay, gay, gay, gay, gay, gay, gay…"

"KNOCK IT OFF!" Katze growled jokingly, and playfully tossed his book at the grinning crusader.

Too bad for him though…

Receiving a book attack from a professor who mastered Advanced Book. Not to mention the book in question was a +7 Stun Cursing Silence Book.

The crusader was pretty much knocked out.

* * *

(Prontera Tavern) 

Both were seen lounging in the bartender's area. A triple banana split for the crusader, and iced tea with apples for the professor.

"Are you really that sensitive being called gay?"

A backhanded book slap was all the answer Katze gave, effectively pile driving the crusader's face into the banana split.

"Hyuu…for a kid, you're really quite disrespectful to people older than you are."

Katze made a 'tch' sound, leaning his head onto one arm, and thoughtfully sipping from his iced apple-tea drink.

A bard sang a soft ballad in the stage nearby, a dancer going with the slow rhythm of the song. The ornaments on her body made soft, tinkling sounds.

Randal looked up from cleaning his face of chocolate syrup, ice cream, and a bit of nuts and sprinkles. Lucky him it was a Memory Book this time, and not some other status-afflicting book the professor backslapped him with.

A bit of sniffling came from his side, and true enough, Katze was a bit misty-eyed, sniffling now and so often, and failing at trying to sip his now-warming apple-tea.

"Whaddya know? Music gets to me." Katze miffed, apparently noticing the worried look of the crusader beside him. It was so stupid…'crying' (for lack of better words) while having a companion he just met.

"Are you all right?" Randal asked, worriedly.

Katze smiled weakly, not facing him. He mustered up his guts and was able to sip a good amount of the tea, calming his nerves.

"I never did want to become like this…you know."

Randal's eyes perked up, albeit not too much to look like a gossiper of some sorts. He too, was a man, and he knew a revelation of some sorts was upcoming. Gay or not, the guy just helped him a few hours ago, and he was willing to at least spare a bit of his attention…only if it'd help.

"Become what? Katze…kun?"

Mild surprise crept in the professor's eyes, a bit of mirth forming in them. Misty eyes threatening to shed tears gazed neutrally at the curious look the crusader sported.

"Nihonjin…desu ka?" (Are you Japanese?)

Randal looked away, embarrassed at the question. "Ah…no. I just heard you say a couple of Japanese words earlier…and well…I figured things out."

Katze looked away, an amused smile etched on his lips.

"Really, if you were…well, not straight, I would have courted you six ways till Sunday." Katze grinned; inwardly surprised that Randal did no amount of refuting at the suggestion of being…not straight.

Randal visibly backed away…just a few inches though.

"Relax." Katze disregarded the idea, turning back to frowning. "I'm sure homosexuality is not contagious. Last time I heard anyway…"

The crusader just realized Katze might have been offended by the involuntary action earlier. Which he was.

"Sorry." He mumbled, just a bit loud enough for the other to hear. "Can't help it you know. Last time, I'm walking with a girl down the street, next thing, I'm in a tavern, invited by…"

"A seemingly distrustworthy gay guy." Katze finished for him, downing the drink in one go. The tears that threatened to fall followed suit, but the professor immediately wiped his face clean of the salty liquid.

"…you." Randal now felt bad, even the professor thought he was that spiteful of a person.

Katze wearily spared him a glance, before asking the bartender another round of the drink.

"Innocent little brat." He slurred, gratefully receiving the drink and downing half of the contents. "You're a rare specie, you and your kind."

"Huh?" The crusader decided to let the 'brat' part off for the meanwhile. He really wanted to coax a story out of the guy.

"It's rare seeing straight people go easy with homosexual guys like me." Katze slowed down on the drink this time. "You're actually the third guy I met that dealt well with me."

"I don't get your point…"

"All they see of us are either people with mental abnormalities that needs to be treated, a source of income for prostitutes, or Satan's hell spawn…sent to Earth to do his bidding of preventing procreation through sex."

Katze narrowed his vision at the empty glass beside him, which housed his first drink. His reflection stared back innocently, as if mocking him.

"Mental abnormalities, my ass. I've seen gay guys do a lot more than what other people can do. And when they're great, nobody seems to complain about it." A red tint was blossoming across his cheeks.

"Great gay guys, huh?" Randal was unbelieving. "Care to name a few?"

Katze eyed him in irritation, as if the boy's very presence mocked his point of view.

"Alexander-the-Great comes to mind, Mr. Smarty Pants." Katze was now starting to grow hot, eyes droopy from suddenly becoming lethargic.

"He was bisexual, from what I heard, he got himself a wife." Randal stopped for a minute. "Holy…are you drunk? From tea?!?"

"Blame my genes." The professor was now moving dizzily. "I…uh…get drunk because of…uhm, what was that? Caf…caffeine or something."

The crusader sweatdropped. _Who the heck got drunk from drinking caffeine?_

"And besides!" The professor refused to stand back. "There's no such thing as bisexual! Once you get a kick out of pleasuring a man, either you're a homo…or a homo in denial!"

Point taken.

"It's that bitch's fault named society! Dang it! Ancient Rome was far better than what we are today! Boys were allowed to have fun with other boys…and that was legal, damnit!" Katze slammed his drink down onto the table. "Now, just having you beside me is earning me an eyeful from the people at my back!"

Randal stared around to where Katze indicated, and true enough, a lot were staring at them weirdly…before they looked away when they noticed the crusader watching them.

"I think they were staring at you because you're…uhm, a bit noisy?" Randal tried to make a joke out of the situation.

"And then there are some guys who just make a profit out of homosexual guys. Goddamn, that's the evil side of being a homo. Sometimes, you're just too desperate to find somebody to accept you…too blind to notice he'd be just after your hard-earned money! Unacceptable…just…fuck…damn all of them!"

Randal managed to shut his trap until the commotion is over. Eventually, a lot more of the audience behind them were listening. Even the bard and dancer stopped their performance, interests piqued at the rantings of the caffeine-drunk Professor.

"And who gives a fuck about procreation nowadays, eh? I've seen the better part of youth going at it using contraceptives and stuff! What's the difference with them and people like me! At least I have plans of adopting a child someday! Somebody I can shower my love and…and…time, and affection…somebody I promise I'll give a better life than what their irresponsible parents deprived them of!"

Randal began to shake the professor, who was fast falling into a stupor-induced sleep.

"Hey…are you sure you're drunk? For my life, some of it…well, a lot of it made sense."

The professor remained quiet, a bit of sobbing and gentle breathing indicated by the rise and fall of his back.

"A lot of the stuff you said…well, I know some people would still have a hard time understanding it…less accepting it anyway. But if you don't agree with society's norms…why bind yourself with it?"

A small shifting, and Katze faced the troubled crusader, an amused smile etched on his serene countenance.

"Life is just like Math, kid. It's full of never-ending problems, some simple and some complicated. It can be also called the greatest legacy of history." The professor began to give one of his cryptic analogies again.

"Take ancient times, for example. Ancient Amatsu believed that men were 'positives' and women were 'negatives'. Now, say a man's soul mate is his retroactive numeral in the number line. Negative three's soul mate is positive three. Law of addition between those two numbers would result to zero, or the state of equilibrium." Katze ran his fingers on the table, creating figures of digits and lines.

"Now say…two positives, that means two guys, go at each other. Positive three and positive three…law of addition would result to positive six, far from the state of equilibrium. The balance is disrupted, and chaos is sure to ensue." Katze frowned at his own musings. "This is probably one of those ancient reasons homosexuality is taboo."

Randal took little interest in the analogy, already indifferent when he heard the word 'Math'. Blech, wasn't one of the reasons he became a Crusader was to stay away from those infernal numbers that haunted him during his novice days?

"But…" Randal, in his innocence, mildly countered. "I mean, balance is boring right?"

_The kid picks up easily…he's not as dumb as he looks._

"I heard from a lot of couples looking for divorce that their relationships have grown boring…at least that's what they say. No excitement, always seeing the same face…isn't following a daily routine almost the same as being in equilibrium?"

"That's right." Katze pointed out. "Because in equilibrium, everything is perceived to be perfect. A happy ending of sorts. As if their lives are spun off from fairy tales."

" 'Nothing can go wrong now…I have a house, two kids, a loving wife, our pet Poring…yadda yadda yadda…life is perfect.' And then from that point, everything goes downhill. You find your wife snogging another man, your daughter runs off because you shouted at her for some trivial issue, and you disown your son for being gay."

"You can blame fate…but fate is something made by you." Katze stood up, stretching a bit to wake his sleeping legs up. He winced, when blood rushed eagerly to his lower extremities.

"Couldn't it be that your wife is with another man because you cannot fuifill your duties as a husband to her? You who is buried in work to support your so-called' perfect life'. Couldn't it be that your daughter ran off because of you, no matter how grave her mistake can be? It could be her fault, but when it all comes to down to it, the one who caused her to run away points to you."

"And by disowning his son, because the father was too busy to know his son better…too busy to understand how his son could have felt with the confusion and panic brought about by the discovery of his sexuality…"

Katze dared not to continue. Memories were still hard to part with.

"Well, isn't it fate that could have determined your…I mean…that son's sexuality?" Randal asked.

Katze nursed his glass lovingly.

"True."

He shut his eyes.

"But it isn't fate for a father to choose rejecting or accepting his son."

* * *

_Book 1_

_Entry 1 Prontera 10 Day 02 Month X007 Year_

_I met a funny crusader during my first day in Prontera. _

_I had just recently been from Juno, finishing my papers to finally become a Professor. Juno is high up above the clouds, people barely came to this city, so I barely got news from the outside world. I was resolute that once I finished my training, I'd immediately go to Prontera to catch up with the times._

_Anyway, this guy was like chained to that girl knight. I know I shouldn't be saying this, but I really loathed girls. I had bad experiences with them in the past, and this feeling slowly grew into a deep dislike for the opposite sex._

_That particular b was like holding the crusader in a leash! (Figuratively of course, not literally). Oh, how I hated her attitude. _

_You know? _

_That I-have-the-power-to-get-any-guy-I-want-with-a-flick-of-my-finger type attitude. _

_After a few minutes, I was able to drive the offending 'thing' off with a bit of misplaced confessions, stealing kisses, and bslapping. Boy, I can tell the guy was relieved to have been freed from that witch's clutches!_

_His name was Randal, crusader, 14 years of age. Blunette (that means blue hair, illiterate journal!). brown eyes, and stands five feet nine inches tall! (I would have never guessed his age even after I had a taste of his tongue!) We sat by the fountain, me eating a wide slab of Valentine's chocolates I got from Yiseryn. (I wonder if that guy knew I'm gay?)_

_I was asking him a few questions, out of curiosity, but he kept staring at me. I was hoping he was smitten by my looks (not really handsome, but I can be proud of it anyways). But still…he felt more like brother material instead of lover material. I teased him a bit, calling him a brat which earned me his attention back._

_Our mindless drabble about random things seemingly started at the fountain, him asking me about my sexuality. Of course, me, being the sensitive type of guy, withdrew the inane urge to Double Cast a level ten Fire Bolt at him when he teased me non-stop about being gay. I instead walloped him with my Stun Cursing Book. _

_Damnit, the kid was way too soft to resist the effects of my book and ended up being knocked out for a few minutes; stars, a hooded figure, and three dots looming over his head. _

_Just kidding. The last part was my imagination._

_As consolation, after he recovered, I decided to treat him to a banana split (the biggest one on the house) whilst I retired myself to drinking apple-tea. _

_Really, the guy was more of a pain in the ass than trouble. He kept asking really sensitive, hard stuff: I was forced to resort to metaphors, analogies and euphemisms to shut his curiosity up. _

_Even if I liked the boy a bit, he was a bit insensitive about my feelings…ah, but what can I expect? I myself wasn't that chatty enough when I was still a Sage. It's better to ask now or forever hold your peace, is what my teacher would say._

_I was really prepared to clam up about my past. Our talks ranged from homosexuality, bisexuals, mathematics, ancient civilizations and other stuff. It was all planned to knock him off from asking too many stuff._

_Did I mention I get drunk from caffeine intake? And do you remember that drink I was drinking? Yep, TEA. As in, T-E-A. Caffeine-laced TEA._

_A part of my life was divulged to the general public, or at least to the people who were present inside the tavern anyway. Being disowned by your father, that was an event everybody thought would generally suck._

_I pretended to collapse, making sure I looked like I was dead asleep. A lot of people were affected by my story (really sounded pathetic to me), and a few came forward to offer their condolences._

_Sigh…_

_Valentines is coming up._

_I don't need their condolences._

_I need…_

…_the condolences of a lover._

_Oyasumi nasai...Journal-kun._

* * *

So terribly steep...sorry if there isn't much action at the moment. And no probable pair as of the moment. This fanfiction is based upon my game life...so nya!

Updates come in three or four days, depending upon the demand. Reviews are welcomed. You may share your comments as well about the things they talked about. :D


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Ragnarok Online. Gravity owns them, and I envy them so. I just wish that Ragnarok Online would receive the appropriate yaoi-lovin' it needs. And Getbackers…me no own them. Nu-uh. Ban-chan and Ginji are not miney.

Author's Notes: Looks like I have a plot here. Thank you for the reviews you've given me guys. I do appreciate them. -grin-

Warnings: A whole lot of swearing, cussing, potty mouth…whatever you'd call 'em. Yaoi / shounen-ai; that means' boy n' boy loving for the unwashed brain of society. If you dislike anything on that manner, kindly stop reading. Flames are appreciated, as they add to my reviews count; but I won't reply or mind them.

Err…yeah, and uh…'implied' playing with oneself at the beginning of the chapter. If you feel queasy about it, skip the whole section. Thanks.

**

* * *

**

Where was he? Ah…he remembered. Last night…the bar…him and a newbie crusader…apple tea. Blech…damn that drink, never did anything good for him. Ugh…he remembered how multi-colored lights engulfed the whole of his vision. He was still aware of his surroundings, but his vision proved too strong and distracting, he rather had his eyes closed than open.

The last he remembered was the strong grasp by his waist, gauntlets of the crusader no doubt. Hauling his lithe frame was no problem for the muscle-blessed youth, as Katze figured out he would need such strength wearing the hundred-something-kilogram-armor all day.

He closed his eyes once more, remembering the creaks of the wooden floor with the combined weight of the crusader and the professor he carried on his shoulder. The crusader had brains, Katze mused, asking the inn/barkeeper if the professor lodged in that inn and as to the room number he was staying.

He had felt the bed slowly engulf him, the cushions a bit too soft. The crusader had slowly laid him onto the bed, fixing the pillows at each of the professor's sides.

Randal sat on the bed, the weight of his armor causing the bed to creak somewhat noisily.

Slowly…Katze felt his armor shifting, and the crusader's youthful face hovering over his own. His warm breath, scented by milk or cream, traveled across his cold cheeks, warming it and reddening it.

A metal-clad hand brushed away a few strands of stray hair from his face, Katze remembered the feel of skin-warmed metal. He could still recall the sensation, as if it was burned onto his skin.

"Thank you, big bro." He finally whispered, causing Katze's countenance to scrunch into a troubled and confused expression.

"I've always felt alone…felt it was wrong…for feelings that I have for somebody I looked up to and like so much…"

There…Katze felt the touch of hesitant lips on his forehead, like what a friend would do to another. It was a light and feathery sensation, almost like running an angel's feather over skin.

"I will…go back to him. And I will risk my chance." He slowly stood up, wiping away unbidden tears. "I do not know if I even have a chance to start with…but I will still risk it."

Slowly, he stood up, and walked away, closing the door slowly. The hallway echoed his steps, until slowly, his steps altogether vanished.

And Katze heard no more, and cared no more. Sleep overtook him, and in his dreams…he was all alone.

Still alone.

* * *

Chapter 2: Entry 2

* * *

Eyes opened to the soft afterglow of the room. Morning sunshine slowly crept in, warming everything it touched. Birds outside sang a soft tune, celebrating life, freedom and love in the air. The noises outside were those of the residents of Prontera, scuffling around, always moving and never stopping. The church bells from afar signified that it was a Sunday…two hours more before Mass would start.

Light creeped upwards the bed, engulfing in its lulling warmth; soft, cotton blanket and shifting, pale, creamy skin underneath. Eyes blinked once more, sleep attempting to take over.

"Hurry up, koi!" A voice from outside the window of the inn he stayed perked his ears. "You're so slow, naaa" It obviously belonged to a male, seemingly just from his pubescent stage, judging from the cracks in the voice and its slightly high pitch.

"Oi, wait up!" Another man's voice, deeper and mature, assuming that of somebody twenty-one years old, hollered back. "You're one big ball of energy, you know that?"

_I've got material to work on. Great timing._

A slight smirk flitted Katze's lips, as he removed the blanket covering his naked body. His lithe fingers worked its way towards the part of his body that thoroughly needed his _special morning attention._

Slow strokes started, as he closed his eyes once more, ears more perked and more concentrated in hearing the dialogue outside his rented room.

"Uwaa It's so _big!_ I'm not sure I can fit _that _in my mouth!"

"Silly. You don't have to put in all in. You can start _a little at a time_." Small laughter followed.

"S-shut up!" Katze could almost visualize the pout of the younger male. "It's no big deal for me! I've eaten bigger things than _that!_"

The slow, languid strokes he started earlier grew faster and more frantic. Sweat slowly flowed from the crevices of his skin, staining the light blue blanket into a darker shade. The room dulled his solicited moans, but nevertheless, the silence amplified his constricted howls.

_More…_

"Well, I'm pretty sure about _that one._" He was sure the older male smirked. "Dive in, if you wish."

_More…_

"O...oi…don't put it in all together! You might choke on that! Here, let me help you–"

"Don't you dare stop me! I plan on keeping my end of the challenge! Now stay still and watch me!"

_More…_

"Aaaah, don't put it all in! It might –"

"Uwa something white came out!" The younger male coughed, choking on one side. "It _came_ earlier than I thought!"

Katze's eyes struck wide, catching his breath as his whole body arched to the shivers his body was riding earlier. His fingers stopped riding up the trapped shaft as ribbons of white slowly fell from above, landing mostly on his smooth chest and navel. A puddle of white slowly dripped down from his hips to the bed sheets below.

"Man…these custard doughnuts taste great even from years back then." The younger male got his bearings back. "Tastes just the way mom used to make!"

"Silly momma's boy." Katze could make out a smile from the older man's voice.

"Ne, let's go. We'll buy something to drink from the milk lady a few blocks away. Just so you wouldn't choke again."

Laughter followed, and amidst Katze's frenzied breathing, he could well hear the receding footsteps. His awareness of the bird's chirps, the creaking of the wooden floor slowly returned.

Staring at the ribbons of white adhering on his hands and at the tips of his fingers, he slowly bought it to his lips and licked at it all too cautiously. It tasted sweet, like honey, and then bitter, like myrrh.

A smile graced his wearied form once more, before tears steadily flowed from his eyes. A few minutes more, and he dragged himself slowly, away from the bed, to take his morning shower.

-

"Morning, youngster!"

Katze's slumped form turned around to meet the cheerful innkeeper, a burly man in his late 50's. His mustache wiggled so often every time he spoke to somebody. One of his hands held a clean rag, wiping down the counter of their bar.

"Yo, mornin' pops!" He grinned, changing direction to settle down in front of the innkeeper, now barkeeper.

"Also serve breakfast here?" Katze's face was fixed in a mischievous grin, one not too appropriate for his age; but nevertheless, made him all too endearing.

"Look it up in the menu, boy!" The barkeeper laughed, seemingly in a good spirit. "It's a Sunday today. Aren'tcha gonna go to church?"

"Aa." The professor gave his confirmation. "I've no plans of missing a single Sunday Mass." He saw items in the menu for breakfast and immediately sighed in relief. He had no plans of just eating bread and cheese for breakfast…boy, he was famished from yesterday!

"Good. Good." The man nodded in agreement. "Who knows when the world will end. Better stock up on our prayers!"

_Sheesh, whaddya think of prayers? Canned goods?_

"Ahahah…ehh….yeah." Katze weakly agreed, not in tuned to debating as of the moment. "I'll have the…uh…vegetable omelet…fried rice…and some coffee. Any peas on the omelet, by chance?"

_And I'm also guessing your perception of faith is just the same? Something like a commodity, eh old man?_

"Oh? You don't like peas, boy?" The barkeeper prepared the ingredients and heated up the pan behind the counter, unawares of the mockery his customer was directing at him. "This green stuff is good for you, ya' know!"

"Ahahah…weeell, my research says otherwise. But the main reason is I'm allergic to peas. Beans are fine, and I can tolerate nuts…but peas are just way out of my league." Katze ruefully scratched his head, thinking it wise not to make the man who would serve his food his enemy. He'd rather pass the day without experiencing an upset stomach.

"I understand, m'boy!" The barkeeper laughed, setting the bowl of peas aside. "I'm allergic m'self to shrimp! Turns me as red as those damned critters!"

Katze laughed, nodding and agreeing. He took his book by his side out and returned to reading where he left off yesterday. His eyes occasionally traveled from the book…to the eggs…to the rice…and back to the book. Never hurt to be cautious right? What if the man had mind-reading abilities?

All thoughts of food poisoning and ill thoughts were thrown out of the window when the old man dropped the cloves of flattened garlic into the heated pan. A few seconds passed before chopped onions and tomatoes followed suit. The smell was languidly acrid, and maternally oriented, as most mothers have the scent of the kitchen permanently attached to them.

Meat, shreds of cabbage, spring onions…it was standard bar fare, and yet Katze felt he was being lulled into nostalgia by the scent. Of course no, he wasn't thinking about his home he left behind (heavens forbid, it would cause his nightmares to act up once more!).

It reminded him of his friend, long time colleague and one time live-in partner and rival. The boy, yes _a boy_, knew how to cook, do the laundry, and was the top-notch student of the Academy.

He, Katze, on the other hand, just cleaned the house and sat in a corner to read, and still never managed to beat said rival from his pedestal of being top Sage back in those days.

This particular boy's turning point however, is his cooking.

People say that it takes music to soothe a savage beast. Well, in their live-in situation, it was almost the same. It took his cooking to soothe a disgruntled Katze.

Katze still wondered how he managed to juggle everything…from house chores, studying, school, work, and babying him (if that meant cooking for said kitchen-idiot Katze) and still managed to rise to the top.

That boy…no less a man right now. Maybe an outright genius from the start, one he had no hopes of beating.

He wondered where he was now. What could he be doing? Katze never received any news from him two years when they had separated ways. The boy had become a professor first, and did not even wait for him.

Almost three years of staying together, he still remained a jerk and a cold bastard, Katze mused.

His thoughts traveled back to two newly recruited Sages, down the hallways of Juno Academy.

Yes, not so long time ago. Not so faraway either…

* * *

(Juno Academy, two years ago)

"_You're not worth my time. Hardly even my level. And you consider me your rival?"_

_The platinum blond graced a calculating look at the brown-haired Sage, fists shaking in anger._

"_Just because old man Montague favored your thesis more doesn't mean you have to be an asshole about it! My thesis is just as good as yours!" The smaller youth gritted, eyes glaring back at uninterested ones._

"_And using coarse language as well. How ever did Juno Academy accept your application of becoming a Sage?" The taller youth smirked, though it faltered immediately to show that not even his reaction was worth of the person before him._

_The youth grew more irate, catching on the simply gesture. It was degrading. Very degrading. _

"_Easy, bastard! Because I'm smart! And not because I'm some pompous rich asshole like you!_

_He frowned. "Tch…I'm not stooping myself to your level as to waste every minute of my life conversing with you. Good riddance…"_

"_O-oi! Don't you turn your ass on me! I'm still talking to you!" He warned, half-panicky and half-furious. The score wasn't settled._

"_And I'm not. Nor do I give any care about your need to talk to me." He continued walking away, not even to spare a glance._

"_Stuck-up, little, prissy…FROST DIVER!!!" The brown-haired youth screamed, hands outstretched as a blast of cold energy rippled outwards to the direction of the other Sage._

_No…he didn't mean it! It was unintentional! He should stop…stop the pillar of ice from turning the other boy into a frozen statue…_

"_MAGIC ROD!" The other youth was quick to respond, his mantle flapped as energy met with resistance. The rippling cold slowly dissolved into a vortex of blue, and it was quickly absorbed into the waiting hands of the platinum-haired Sage._

"_Fuck…rich boy is fast…" He murmured, partly-awed and partly pissed off. Forget what he thought earlier, he still loved the idea of a bastard-on-ice._

"_Oh my." The boy shook his hand as energy still crackled in small bolts of lightning. "It seems the cat has something behind his incessant mewling. And you took your time to learn such a useless spell."_

"_It's not useless, bastard!!! I've spent a better part of my years learning that spell, so don't fucking tell me it's use-"_

"_FROST DIVER!"_

_Freakin' fast…_

"_MAGIC…uwah!" Katze barely had enough time to catch the spell. The ice was faster compared to his, and a particularly large spike erupted in front of him, throwing him back. _

_Flakes and crystals of ice now shrouded the once dry and hot hallways of the academy. The stone tiles, immaculate and antique, were littered with cracks from where spines of ice and frost traveled; to and fro from both apprentice Sages._

"_How innovative." The caster of the last Frost Diver remarked at the youth on the floor. His eyes skimmed the area surrounding Katze, prominences of red energy arcing and flowing around the stone tiles and the pillars. "You had set up Volcano even before using Magic Rod. No wonder your own Frost Diver was sluggish compared to mine."_

_Katze stood up, dazed up a bit, but a confident smirk graced his face. "That's because I'm a genius, and you are not, bastard. I had insurances not to be frozen by the likes of you." He took his Soul Staff behind him and focused his energies at it._

_The other youth sighed, consternated at Katze's energy. "Stop it. I have no wish of being expelled from the Academy because of being involved by your stupid actions." He rubbed his temples as he turned around, deciding to leave the idiot Sage behind._

"…_on kakaka makyou tenjin onmyou…Abracadabra!" Katze finished chanting, as he aimed his palms at the boy's retreating back. The distinct sound of crystals cracking, yellow gems no doubt, was audible, the other youth heard it even at their distance._

"_Troublesome." He muttered, still walking away._

"_METEOR STORM!!!" _

"_What the…" He was forced to turn around, awe struck as he saw Katze suddenly kneel on the floor, struggling with the spell. Lines of energy had now formed beneath their field, slowly converging into what was turning into a perfect runic circle for summoning meteors._

"_Stop this at once." He turned around once more, furious at the irresponsibility the other was showing._

"_I WILL DO NO SUCH THING!" He spit back, tears glazing his eyes. "Not until you recognize my power, bastard!"_

"_Your power?" He made a dirty face, apparently expressing his disgust at the idea. "This is hardly worth of praise…if you call this force as something that can destroy rather than create."_

_Katze sobbed, humiliated and insulted. "Fine…" he sobbed in between. "If I have to destroy to make people recognize…I will!"_

_He succumbed to the spell, kneeling down at the magnitude of Meteor Storm. Sages rarely get a lucky shot of using Abracadabra, and this was the first time he handled this spell. Volcano added to the pressure, the skill needed to control the meteors were rising as the damage capacity also rose._

"_Idiot."_

_Katze looked up, surprised at the insult and the calm façade of the other sage. _

"_SPELL BREAKER!" He slammed his palm down, the lines of energy dissolved in an instant. The runic circle was shattered, and Katze was released from its hold, stumbling back and falling on his backside._

_The other Sage swept the entire area with his arms, and created a perfect downward arc to his feet. Brilliant light spread throughout the area all of a sudden._

"_LAND PROTECTOR!" He uttered softly. The pillars of ice, rime and hoarfrost, and the effects of Volcano all disappeared, shattering into nothingness. The hallway and stone tiles looked the same way it was before their confrontation._

_Katze looked around, panic-stricken and afraid. Afraid of what he had thought of doing earlier, and what he was capable of. _

_-SLAP!!-_

_He missed seeing a hand slap him square on the face though._

_Hard._

"_Have you seen everything? Everything that I was able to do?" He stooped in front of the dumbstruck Sage, grasping Katze's chin forcefully so his eyes never left his face._

"_All of what your so called "power" can do." He crooned tonelessly, piercing eyes fixed on those that reflected fear and sadness. "I threw it all aside. Your power does not mean anything to this world. So don't go around sticking your chest out and bragging about your parlor tricks –"_

"_Don't."_

_The platinum-haired Sage quirked an eyebrow._

"_Don't you dare insult my power." Katze whispered softly. "You don't have any idea of what I went through…to improve this power."_

"_My past is my power. Everything I had to lose for this power…my family…my childhood…even myself!" He gritted, unable to stop tears. "Don't…just don't disregard my power!"_

_There was mutual silence between them. Katze, who rebelliously remained staring at the other youth, and the other Sage, grasping Katze's chin lightly, eyes trying to figure out the boy before him._

"_Then tell me…why your power is useless against mine?" He finally spoke once more._

_Katze looked away. Directly insulted. As in directly. Did it mean that the past was not enough for his strength to grow?_

"_It's simple." He softly let go of Katze's chin, surprising the boy. "Because as you said…"_

"_My past is my power."_

* * *

"Chop, chop! Eat up, young lad!" The barkeeper waved a burly hand in front of the dazed Professor. "The food's getting cold!"

Katze shook out of his self-induced stupor, momentarily lost in a haze of memories. Looking at the surprised barkeeper's face, his slightly steaming bowl of fried rice, omelet and orange juice and the surrounding area around him; he apologized for his rudeness, said his prayers (itadaikimasu!), and dug in his food.

A little more and the bar's regulars came in. Wandering parties from different cities and different continents came in; some to relax and some to converge. Most of them were in search for party members, others were there for socializing. Still, a few of them were there for rumors or news about strange events, happenings and monster anomalies.

Katze wondered why he never joined a party. Scrap that…why he was never _able to_ join a party. He was a professor, wasn't he? Professors were valued for their ability to create energy out of their life force, just as Priests were valued for creating life force out of their energy.

Professors rarely left Juno Academy or King Tristan's castle for that matter, so in extreme cases, it was once in a blue moon, can they find Professors walking casually down the streets. Could it be the fault of Creators and Alchemists, who, possessed more firepower via their Acid Demonstration and their energy-revitalizing Blue Potion Throw?

"That." Katze muttered, as he downed his glass of juice. "Or Professors are really down on their luck."

As Katze paid for his food, his near empty wallet reminded him he needed to get a job. Fast.

Or at least a party. Which was out of the question. Since, as he mused before, no one was in particular need of Professors nowadays.

"A job it is, then." Katze sighed, more to himself. He took a copy of Midgard Daily beside him, and browsed the ads for any job offerings. "Yeah, while people are out hunting and making names for themselves, I get stuck here doing nothing but paperwork."

Katze sighed more audibly this time, earning a few gazes from people near him. "Well, I guess no wonder why Professors were never meant for parties, nowadays. We're better off stuck in dreary, dust-laden office rooms, than outside in the Midgar sun."

He scanned the entire length of the bar around him, eyes skimming over heads of knights, blacksmiths, wizards and hunters. Seems like no one was interested in a Professor like him…

"Ne, Ban-chan." A blond blacksmith flopped bonelessly on a table nearby. "Where do you think can we find a professor, ne?"

_Well, talk about devil's luck._

"Just keep your eyes peeled, Ginji." The priest sighed, bringing to his lips a lit cigarette. "We need somebody less stingy than Hevn and her outrageously-priced Blue Potions."

"Troublesome." The assassin cross beside them muttered, arms crossed in a gesture of secrecy in his line of job. "Do you think Professors even come to places like _this?_"

"Mou, Jackal-chan's right, Ban-chan." Ginji mumbled, looking more like a jellyfish every minute. "I think Professors are too…uh…too rich to come to places like these."

"The word is 'sophisticated', ne Ginji-chan?" The assassin cross named Jackal corrected gently, smiling at said blacksmith, looking all angelic and pure. He turned a deadly façade towards the priest however. "But, Ginji-chan is right, Ban. We're searching for a person at the wrong place. I suggest we try the Prontera castle or Juno Academy."

"Ma," The priest stood up, apparently tired of being ganged up. "let's go then. But really, it's an expensive trip going to Juno and we barely have enough to make the trip."

"Scuse' me." _Man, I should work on my entrances._

"I believe I'd be one who can answer all your needs, as far as I picked up your conversation." Katze grinned, a palm outstretched in greeting, and his mouth murmuring a 'yo'.

The three glanced at him, the blond wide-eyed, the assassin cross disinterested, and the priest…well, not entirely looking at his face but rather at his waist.

The man Jackal spoke up first, an exasperated tone in his voice. "Ban…I'm sure we've talked about this before, and I've told you to do it only at night or any place otherwise where Ginji-chan is not concerned."

"Ban-chan…" the blond blacksmith was all teary-eyed. "You promised me! Ban-chan is a liar! I hate you! I hate you!" He wailed, running out of the bar, much to the surprise of a few patrons.

"O-oi…Ginji! It's not what you think it is! Wait up!" The priest muttered a slight curse, looking at the blacksmith's retreating figure and the person that suddenly just appeared in their midst. "Oh why! Why do bad things happen to handsome guys every time?! Ginji! Oh, c'mon, Ginji! You're misunderstanding!"

Katze just stared, as the priest ran outside, to catch the blacksmith that was fast disappearing from their view. A few sweatdrops littered his face.

"Alright."

The Professor heard the slithering of metal against leather behind him, and he immediately jumped away, hands prepared to cast a spell to whoever was drawing a blade behind him.

The assassin cross who was just sitting earlier, stood up, one hand holding an unmistakable Haedonggum and the other hand on a Main Gauche. The knife was so curved it looked like the letter J.

"Tell me, whoremonger, when and how much did Ban pay for your services?"

Silence fell in the whole bar, all the customer's ears picked up the word 'whoremonger'. Their eyes immediately leered towards Katze, suspicious glints and stares stabbed at his figure like needles and nails.

"Now, wait a second!" Katze flustered, a bit red from the accusation.

"Well, it is kinda complimenting to be mistaken for a whoremo- THAT'S NOT THE POINT! Dumbass! Do I look like a whoremonger to you?!"

The assassin cross gave him a once-over. His eyes skimmed the ruffled brown hair, the bluish fox scarf on the youth's neck, the lithe and stringy figure, the slitted uniform that exposed impeccable flesh in the hips, and the slight, effeminate way he carried himself. And not to mention the tight pants he was wearing.

"My mistake." He closed his eyes for a second. Katze sighed/

"Whore."

If Katze was made out of stone right now, he would have definitely split in half, crumbled and blown off by the wind.

Consternated beyond his limits, that was what the professor felt at the very moment. The intimidating glares he was receiving didn't matter anymore.

The man was going to die. A slow, painful, _fiery_, death.

"**DOUBLE BOLT**!" He intoned, flashing with a brief red aura, his hands held in a seal of some sorts. He immediately changed the pattern of his hands, pointing towards Jackal.

"**FIRE BOLT**!" Katze snarled, uncaring whether there were still people around them. Twenty spears of glorious flame shot through the roof of the bar, all aimed towards the assassin cross.

Jackal immediately shrouded himself in his tattered manteau. The flame bolts landed with pinpoint accuracy, shrouding the assassin with flames of varying degrees. A few of the patrons fled towards the other side of the room, only mildly perturbed that their day at the bar was ruined.

The flames parted, revealing the assassin cross unscathed by the attack. Both his blade were dripping with a vile, purple energy though, one which Katze all knew well.

"**SOUL DESTROYER**!" The assassin swung, releasing an arc of deadly energy. The wind blew with such force, half of the room's tables and chairs were scattered by that one attack.

"Shit…" The professor immediately raised his left arm in the air, as energy glowed between the stone tiles beneath his feet.

"**FOG WALL**!" His voice echoed, issuing dark mist from the floor beneath him. In an instant, a wide area around the professor was covered in a thick, heavy mist.

A split second and the arc of energy hit the wall of mist squarely. It automatically dissipated, disappearing in a display of violet lights and sparks. The fog wall looked little to not disturbed at all, shimmering mysteriously with its small specks of light and energy.

A few more seconds and the wall of fog dissipated, revealing a displeased professor with a blade by his neck from an equally displeased assassin cross, who held the professor in a neck lock. The assassin cross had melded the contours of his body with the professor's back – a little bit of tension, and the assassin would know his victim was planning escape.

"Give it up, sport." Katze nervously threatened, a bit intimidated by the coolness of the blade resting at his neck. "A bit foolish running in the territory of the Fog Wall. Can't see now, can'tcha?"

"I may be blind now," He smirked back," but I sure as hell don't need my eyes to feel if my blade had sliced a deep enough hole in your neck."

Katze was about to just create another hand seal when the assassin cross quickly took hold of both hands and restrained them effectively behind the professor.

"N-n-n…" He mewled softly, feeling slight pain shoot up from his hands and the feeling of something inconceivably_ hard_ digging at his backside. "Fuck…that hurts…"

"Until you promise to calm down, I am not letting you go." He silkily whispered, shifting slightly to a better, more comfortable position. "I will not risk the people and the property you damaged."

"_We_ damaged, to be precise." Katze whimpered, the slight shifting of bodies now causing that something _hard_ to dig deeper in his ass! Fuck! He had to escape! But the more he tensed up, the more the assassin pushed him (or rather pushed _into_ him) deeper towards him.

"Let go…let go…let go…" He whispered, mewling as if in agony. _Hell, I am in agony! My libido is going off the charts! _"I promise to calm down! I won't resist! Just fucking get your sword out of my scabbard!"

The assassin nodded, albeit a bit confused by the last part. But when he let the professor go, he immediately understood the situation and blushed on cue. Katze just sat on the floor, spread eagled, blushing as well.

_Fuck…was I stupid or was I smart? It's like resisting a gift. Damnit, Katze! Damn your virgin mind! That guy had an eight-incher, you dill! _

And with the thoughts that plagued his mind, Katze blushed even more.

-

Half of the bar was a wreck, contributed by Katze's twenty Fire bolts and Jackal's Soul Destroyer attack. The owner was behind what remained of the counter, who apparently fainted, after seeing the damage done to his store.

A crowd had gathered around the wreckage, curious onlookers and passersby, watching and observing. The Prontera chivalry, a squad of no less thirty or so Lord Knights in their Peco Pecos, had set up borders and military lines around the site.

"Whoa, cripes." The priest whistled, returning with his blacksmith companion. "The hell happened to the bar? I wouldn't wanna be the dope who destroyed this place. And right at the center of the capital! The guy's gotta be high!"

"Ne…" the blacksmith sniffled, having just recovered from much sobbing and crying. "…where's Jackal-chan? –sniff– "

If they were set in a land of comic figures now, one would swear a light bulb suddenly lit up over Ban's spiky head, with a dawned and why-did-I-not-think-of-it look on his face.

"He was probably the one who did all this mess." He finally put two and two together, feeling proud of himself for figuring it out. Chibi-Bans in his head gushed and clapped their awe at him.

"Relax." A silky and velvet voice behind the two immediately spoke up, surprising the two almost out of their wits. "Oh my…Ginji-chan. Were you worried about me? I feel so loved." The assassin cross who appeared out of thin air, crooned. Ginji immediately backed off a bit, torn between relief and worry…for himself.

"Jackal…get your hands off Ginji!" Ban slapped the man's advances away with a thick book, consternation visible on his face. "And for chrissakes, what happened here and where the hell did you go off to?"

"You're plan of getting a professor? Forget it." Jackal eyed Ginji with slight disappointment, seeing him fidget up the priest's pants. "The sexy guy who came up to us was one. Set the damn place on fire, and don't ask me how it started."

"And frankly, I'd rather have Hevn than him. For the sake of both of you anyways. Knowing you, Ban, I doubt you wouldn't let any beautiful thing pass by you without you corrupting it." Jackal heaved a difficult sigh, shrugging at Ginji's inquisitive stare. Sighing once more, he produced a candy cane out of nowhere. Ginji immediately lunged for it, and Jackal got himself a handful of Ginji on his arm.

"Give me more credit, Jackal." Ban replaced his cigarette with a Romantic leaf. "If I did that, you think Hevn would have kept away from our party a long time ago?"

"I suppose." The party started walking away from the scene, almost forgetting about the disaster. "Hevn is corrupted as it is. I remember she was asking for a threesome with you and Ginji?"

"I could have taken up her offer." Ban grinned, glancing lovingly at the blacksmith that still clung at Jackal's lollipop-armed hand. "But Ginji and I just started back then…wouldn't want to break his innocence that quickly. We ended up giving her a show instead."

"Troublesome…the both of you." The assassin cross shook his head, but nevertheless smirked a little. Their conversation slowly died down as they disappeared into the horizon of Prontera Main Street, where they were sure, their alchemist party mate was hawking her wares.

* * *

"Let go! Let go of me!"

Katze yelled all the way from the scene of the crime to the drawbridge of Prontera's castle, drawing the gazes of curious passersby and onlookers at him. For a sophisticatedly (huh?) dressed man, he sure had the temper of an eight year old.

"You're hurting my wrists!" He lunged and bit the hand of one of the guards. The victim immediately dropped his hold and howled in pain. Katze was unceremoniously dropped, but he was nevertheless pleased, wearing a satisfied grin.

Screw the temper of an eight year old. Make that six…

"By order of the Imperial... hey!" The guard fidgeted with the scroll containing the order, as Katze remained being stubborn, attempting to escape every or so second. Of course, Katze could have easily zapped them sky-high with a bolt spell or either smacked them silly with his book. But his duty to the kingdom of Prontera reminded him that said guards where under jurisdiction of said entity…thus were ineligible targets for his ire.

"Uhurm…keep him still, will you?" The guard eyed his companion exasperatedly, who tried his best hold the whiny professor still. "(Again)…by order of the Imperial Chief of Scribes, you are to be come with us to the castle with your full cooperation as one bound to the laws of the meritorious Academy of Juno."

Katze slid them a pouty face, eyes narrowed in slits. "Imperial Chief of Scribes, eh?" He motioned for the letter and inspected it himself. The chief guard and his lackey merely shrugged, wondering why the professor bothered with the authenticity of the letter.

"Peh…"

The two guards eyes would have popped out of their sockets when Katze had casually torn the "imperial" order into shreds. Nevertheless, they had efficiently conveyed their expressions of shock when the professor gazed at them, haughtily covered his mouth with the back of his right hand and made "ohohoh" sounds.

The pieces of paper had did not float away as all natural pieces of paper did though. They swirled, and swirled did they. A pillar of light erupted in front of them, and Katze whistled in appreciation. The guards poked the mysterious beam of light curiously with the point of their spears.

"Well," Katze gave them a two-finger salute. "thanks for the delivery! See ya some time!"

Before both had the chance to ask what he meant, the professor disappeared; in what seemed to be a warp portal conjured by the scroll.

* * *

Katze shuddered, never liking the way warp portals delivered people to their intended destinations. He was still shuddering, a shiver kept running up and down his spine for some reason.

He experimentally opened his eyes, assessing the area around him.

A small, stone tiled room. No windows. Light provided by what seemed to be endless candles hanging on the wall. Bookshelves lined at each side.

He guessed that he would be under the Prontera castle dungeons, though more like in the bookkeeper's office. Old documents, tomes and books were archived here, before being sent for safekeeping at Prontera Library.

A rustling sound irked his ear, which twitched slightly. A solitary figure was behind a table, poring over signing and stamping documents. From his distance, the man (he knew it wasn't a woman) looked like a shadow.

"You called me here?" He called to the figure, who immediately stopped whatever he was doing.

The shadow stood up, his figure still unrealistically protected from the light. _Okay…creepy._

Silk trailed behind his arms, the rustling of staffs and books beside him were faint as he neared Katze. The figure of a fox scarf entwined protectively against the man's shoulders were starting to get clear.

Slowly, light revealed the figure of a lean man, around his early twenties. Long silver hair, a sly smirk, and eyeglasses perched upon his nose bridge. It took a while for recognition to creep into Katze's face, but when it settled…

"K…Kianu?"

The shadow swept an arm, and in an instant, the air dropped forty degrees below zero. Ice flakes materialized out of thin air, and words were not spoken.

The only sound came from a ravaging spine of ice heading towards the unprepared Professor.

* * *

Yeah...I know. Pretty anti-climactic, ne? Thanks to the guys who reviewed, I always make sure to leave a response. It's just that I've been busy with Kingdom Hearts and...crap. No worries, I'm not gonna start on a spastic trip to No-Finish town.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Ragnarok Online! Isn't that great? Because if I owned it, King Tristan would be hosting same-sex marriages, not that he doesn't, because I've seen a lot of private servers actually having said marriages! Oh, if only I was skilled enough to hack the servers and change the coding in there! I don't own…erm…-checks plot book- Naruto! Sorry for the randomness of the crossovers!

_A little drabble on crossovers:_

Let's admit it. Some OCs (**original characters**, for the casual reader) really suck bad. OCs are not meant to become main characters. For a game like Ragnarok Online, having an OC is inevitable. Not to mention contending with the manga and anime version of the said game.

Just having an OC as a main character is hard. Controlling an entire populace of OCs is even harder. You have to create character and personality, you have to manage what they say and how they say it. You have to create habits, remember them as if it is you in another dimension. So how do we make this easier?

Simple! We do crossovers! This makes sure that the characters from the different anime shows are to which readers can relate to! The main point of a fan fiction is to let people understand the main character. If people know how the sub-characters act and feel, they can focus more on the main character.

The crossovers are a bit one-shot anyway. They rarely will get past one chapter.

_A little drabble on responding to reviews:_

Ok fine. Although I loathe that said rule, I have to admit that the administration has a point. I've seen dozens of fics that have review responses composing half of the whole word count. And that's plain suckage in my opinion.

So to exploit this loophole, we will instead have an FAQ, which faintly reminds me of a curse phrase, to which the main character will strive to answer general inquiries for the unwashed masses. These will be found at the end of every chapter, to prevent the author from answering the same question every review he has.

And…thank you for the reviews! You don't know how happy I am with receiving reviews! Not that, I'm really asking for you…but it warms the heart knowing some person in a far-offish land (or your next door neighbor) is taking time to write how he/she generally loves or hates me and my writing! So thanks for feeding me guys!

Alright…now on to the story.

* * *

"_I'm home!"_

"_Welcome back. Did the professor let you off early from your detention?"_

"_Yup! Something smells good, you makin' somethin' here?"_

"_Apple taffy…it's for Halloween tomor- Hey! Why are you all muddy? And stay still! You're tracking mud all over the carpet!"_

"_The professor made me choose either two hours of solitary confinement or half an hour of collecting Ambernite shells in Geffen. Took me another half-hour to make the trip back and forth Juno."_

"_Oh my god! Are those snail innards I see in your gloves?!?"_

"_Huh…which one-"_

"_That's it! GO! Bathroom NOW!" _

"_But I wanted candy!"_

"_Keep your hands off the taffy! Until I see no trace of snail gut in your hands, you are not eating one of my taffy apples."_

"_Can I have two then?"_

"_BATHROOM!"_

"_Peh! Jerk!"_

* * *

"_It has been awhile since we first met huh?"_

"_Two years. My opinion of you being a bastard still stands..." _

_"__Bastard."_

"_And yet, this bastard has to contend cleaning up after you."_

"_I'm not comfy with your neatness. Gosh, can't you even spare me a single germ in our room?"_

"…_you like germs?"_

"_Hell no! But germs are what Mother Nature blessed upon our poor Midgard souls. Without said germs, we will remain zombies: wake up, eat, work, eat, sleep. It's a blessing when one day, you just wake up, eat, sleep, eat, sleep."_

"_Being sick, per se?" "You know what? We, poor Midgard souls, have a way with dealing with that type of mentality. It's called seeing a shrink."_

"_Hardy-har-har. And what? Degenerate myself into the mediocre goop of society?"_

"_Sigh…I really don't get you. Can't you just try and live a normal life? Wake up early, work an honest day's pay, and retire happy?"_

"_Are we back to square one?"_

"_We're Sages, Katze. We are not meant to open the path to uncharted lands, we are there to **document** said uncharted lands. Leave the hero stuff to the knights and the hunters. Let them do their jobs and we'll do ours."_

"_Is there a problem with my unique way of thinking?" "Just because I don't do protocol, I don't do stuff the conventional way, I don't do…w-whatever. Time and time, I've proven to you that I can take care of myself…"_

"…_Katze."_

"_I'm seventeen for crying out loud. And I've got one life to live. If I should spend it doing stuff the way other people do, then what's the point of living? I should just hire them to run my life."_

"_I'm sorry, Kianu. You, as my best friend, and as my rival, should understand better. I can honestly tell that you know me. But at least... if you can't support me…then can you just leave me alone?"_

"_You're still as foolhardy as you can come, Katze." "I just don't want you getting hurt, you know that. I can't always be there, running behind you to catch you when you fall…or stop you from casting some deranged spell your mind can easily come up with…"_

"_I know I'm weak…" "That's why I want to become stronger. I always make you worry…and I always find myself apologizing to you for making you worry like that."_

"_I can't even call you my rival anymore. You're more of my protector than my rival. That's why I want to go out of my way to do stuff without your help; do things without you around! You're my fucking rival, damnit! I don't need your fucking help!" _

_Katze failed to notice the slightly bluish aura resonating at the retreating person's feet. _

* * *

Chapter 3: Entry 3

* * *

"…haaaack…cough…cough…." Katze finally opened his eyes, startled at what happened. The faint memory in his cloudy mind registered a very dangerous looking spine of ice heading towards him…that and the temperature around him suddenly dropped to ten degrees below zero.

He was surprised when his peripheral vision registered a height far too greater than what he was used to standing. Last time he remembered, he was only five feet ten inches tall…why did the floor suddenly seem so tiny and…faraway?

Err…can anybody explain _why_ his whole body is cold and paralyzed?

"OH MY…HOLY FRICKING PIECE OF – "

Yup, everything clicked. If that giant ice spike jutting out below him and encasing his damn whole body in subzero conditions did not state the obvious for him, that smug face in the dark corner of the dungeon-room would bite him in the ass for him to take notice of the situation he fell into.

"Who are you!" Katze narrowed his glare at the pair of green (!) eyes observing him from the distance. Oooh…if looks could kill, he'd be a very happy man right now.

There was a slight shifting of clothing coming from those eyes' general direction. By and by, they went closer and closer towards him, still locked on his own eyes though.

The light slowly revealed a platinum blond, around twenty-one years of age. Delicate lashes crowned intense green eyes, a slight tug on his lips forming a cross between a smile and a smirk.

A pure white fox scarf lazily slung itself on the other professor's shoulder, while a choker graced his pallid neck. His lithe body followed suit, professor uniform just showing he was the _conservative type_ – standard professor suit, ashen pants, and a Wizardry staff dangling in his belt alongside numerous slim potions and a pouch that held scrolls of some sort.

"Please." The smirk-smile degenerated to just a smile, and Katze suddenly found it hard to remove his gaze from those lips that…err… _languidly_ spelled out every word. "Humor me; it has been a while since we last met."

_Oh my god…outright sexy! Damn, damn, damn! Thank heavens I'm encrusted in 3 feet of ice! My libido would have outright killed me! Must…resist…ravishing…evil…guy!_

"Ugh…" The poor professor groaned miserably, the other taking it as a sign of pain from his ice prison. Oh, if he only knew! "…fuck if I knew you! Who are you?"

The other frowned, a bit skeptical and disappointed. His lips were tugged in a scowl and a pout, and Katze found himself whining again at his own predicament. _Gah! It's a scowt! The ice isn't helping me calm down! No help at all!_

"You spoke my name earlier." He slid closer, resting his one hand on his staff. Katze was now subjected to the full intensity of his emerald irises.

"Well," Katze immediately looked away, tugging his thoughts to something less-enticing…like two Orc warriors making out. Good…that certainly wilted away any of his apprehensions earlier.

Then again…that was just damn outright disgusting. Like an orc lady and an orc warrior having sex…eww.

"Try being hit face on with an ice spell and being unconscious for thirteen and a half seconds." His voice came out calm this time, and Katze mentally congratulated himself for being serious at least once for this conversation.

"Fourteen seconds." The other corrected.

Katze just rolled his eyes and snorted.

"You failed to add the casting time of the spell."

"Che…" He bared his canines, and grinned cockily at the professor. "Still precise to the dot, eh Kianu?"

Katze momentarily stopped; eyes wide in recognition.

"Uh."

Kianu remained rooted in his spot, a shy smile dawning on his face. "Been awhile and –"

**"YOU PRICK! I'LL KILL YOU! KILL YOU! YOU LEFT ME WITHOUT SAYING A WORD! NEXT THING I HEAR, YOU'RE A FUCKING PROFESSOR ALREADY! ASSHOLE! I DON'T NEED YOU! YOU FUCKING HEAR ME?!? YOU GO ON WITH YOUR PERFECT LIFE, YOU SELFISH BASTARD! YOU EVEN DON'T MAKE GOOD CANDY! I HATE YOU! HATE YOU SO FUCKING MUCH! WHY DON'T YOU JUST DRIVE A STAKE THROUGH MY HEART?!? HUH?! HUH!?!? I HOPE YOU ROT IN THE WORSEST PART OF HELL!"**

Kianu stood rooted to his ground, eyes transfixed at the berserk brunette trapped in ice. Did…did the guy really spend his years hating him for leaving him without telling?

The brunette sobbed hard, howls echoing across the dungeon room.

Kianu said nothing, to his credit, understanding the situation. He let the smaller man cry, empty his tears and frustration out. He'd dealt with this situation back then, and he knew confronting Katze while he was berserk with anger at the moment did nothing better for the situation.

He was still sobbing, yelling profanities and choice curse words once in a while. The blond stood his ground, being the emotional punching bag. He just shifted his eyes away from the brunette to ease the pain of being lashed at.

It took a goodly five minutes for the incessant cursing and yelling to stop. Kianu slowly dared a face towards the quietly sobbing Katze. Streaks of tears had either dried or frozen off of his cheeks, and his breathing came out in choked gasps.

From what he had picked out of the threats of Katze killing him, and the choice cut of words Kianu had no idea the brunette had picked up, he construed that the boy had a rough life after his departure. There were mentions of bullying, teasing, being taken advantage of, and betrayal that the brunette had undergone during his three years-absence.

"A…I-I'm c-cold…" A soft whisper.

"O-oh…I didn't mean to – " He fumbled with his words again.

"P-please…don't s-say you're s-sorry." Katze was starting to turn a little blue around the edges. "S-sorry just won't cut it."

There was a tint of disappointment in the tone. Sorry won't cut it alright…both for flash freezing him…and for leaving him for almost two years.

"Then I won't." Kianu's stiffened, his voice turned steely; sounding like the bastard Katze had known last two years ago.

The hesitations in his movements earlier had long been discarded for the awkwardness of the situation. Mumbling a few words (which sounded like Dispel), and slamming a yellow gemstone into the ice, the spire cracked at its base and made a sickening, breaking sound.

Shards of ice scattered around, the area suddenly transforming into a gauche winter wonderland. Slivers of ice fell from the dark ceiling of the dungeon room; like hailstones falling amongst the descent of snow.

In the midst of the freezing spray, Katze fell; eyes on the brink of unconsciousness, silk robe trailing behind him; into the arms of the other professor.

He fell weakly, lightly and limply against the hold of the blond professor. He was shivering somewhat, breath hitching once in a while (a symptom of mild hypothermia), but color started to return to his skin. What was once bluish and hard became tinged with a rosy pink tone.

Kianu slowly led the man to his feet, but he felt some sort of resistance from the smaller professor. Limp arms futilely held tighter against his chest, and he saw Katze lift half-lidded eyes to his own.

"Ngh…tired…I-I'm t-tired…" He croaked, shivering somewhat and pleading the other to not let go of him.

The two stood in silence, ice still falling from the ceiling.

* * *

"You're late!!" A priest glared at the newcomer.

"Dun' get your loins on a twist, mate. Juz' came back from Thanatos, se'?"

"We sent the summon two hours ago! And what time do YOU arrive?" The priest flailed his arms around, emphasizing his distress.

"Oh, c'mon mate! Is' not lik'ly tha' you won' start withou' me?"

"Just please hurry up, senior." The priest gave up, taking a clipboard behind him and placing a check mark on the form attached to it. He was exasperated. "So many here need our help."

"You've got nothin' ta' worry love." The high priest winked saucily, earning a raspberry from the priest who handled the relief operations. "On'e question, thou'…"

"Yeah?" The priest looked up from his clipboard to eye his senior. "What is it?"

"I mean, crikey, what dumbass would blow up un inn in Prontera in tha' middle of tha' day?" He scratched his bleached hair in annoyance. "I dun' suppose it was a munster who di'd it, cun' it?"

The priest glanced at the smoking remains of the inn, other priests fumbling around to heal the wounded and revive the unconscious. "I don't suppose." He shuffled through his reports. "It says here that a professor was detained and was held responsible for this mishap."

" E' professur?" The high priest quirked an eyebrow.

"No name was given." He shook his head. "The military has yet to give a statement on what happened here."

"D'ey give any description 'bout this professuh?" The high priest scooted, eyes hopeful in an instant. " 'air color? Eye color? Weight? 'Aight?"

"None whatsoever." The priest turned a careful glance at his senior, who suddenly lost his earlier vigor. "Have you not found him?"

"Nuh." The high priest slumped, turning around to the general direction of the wounded. "Be'en searchin' for 'im 'igh and low. Ev'ry cit'y, ev'ry town…even thu' small 'amlets.."

"And still no sign of your brother?"

The high priest stopped walking momentarily, head lowering. "I love 'im. With all my 'eart. 'is the only fam'ly I got."

He walked away once more, thoughts albeitly cleared as he laid his hands on the nearest victim.

* * *

"Nngh…"

Dark eyes hesitantly slid open, vision stained and still muddled. Carefully, he hefted a hand onto his right eye, massaging the area with his palm.

Minutes later, the throbbing in his head ceased.

"Muu where am I?" He coughed, sneezing after a few seconds. He was about to grab his cheap blanket to wipe his nose when he felt the material beneath his free hand.

_Silk?_ He glanced around, panicking a bit, not recognizing where he was. He wasn't in the inn he was staying with its wooden floors, chipped whitewash walls, detergent-smelling cotton blankets and creaky beds.

Oh hell no. If the stone-tiled floor, the cheerily-glowing hearth, his Parisian-style triple mattress bed, and the red, silk blanket he was about to wipe his nose with, did not clue him that he was in a different place apart his stinking old place; nothing would.

"Ow…which reminds me that I blew up half of the inn." He clutched his head, migraine set off by the onslaught of memories returning to him. "Damn that assassin cross…"

_Blue light…_

_Dungeon…_

_Ice spike…_

_Platinum blond hair…_

"Owiee…pain…" Katze moaned pitifully, abandoning the idea of remembering what happened earlier. He never was good in retaining things in his head. Any opportunity, like bumping his head or sneezing harshly, his cranium would take it and flush away information like say…what the hell happened to him?

Sliding out of the silken bed sheets, he tentatively took his first steps in the surreal room. There was a window across the bed, with a large enough window sill ideal for sitting. A few birds idly hopped in said sill, singing a furtive song on how pathetic he looked at the moment.

The floor was cold, and the moment his feet touched them, it had sent shivers creeping up and out his spinal column. He shuddered, and wobbled a bit; his hands immediately grasped upon the bedside table for support in case he fell.

Thankfully, having reached the window sill without having a make out session with the floor; Katze momentarily adjusted his eyes at the glare of the outside light before finally realizing where he was.

_Oh wow…_ He mouthed out. _I'm in Prontera castle! In one of the castle rooms!_

From his vantage point, he saw a Kafra girl idly talking to a few travelers; laughing once in a while. Acolytes were being led outside the Sanctuary by a flustered priest and priestess towards the south. On his right, a bunch of novices hung out by the Fellowship monument, one of the novices took it as an idea of fun by climbing the statue of two hands until a guard came and scolded him.

He chuckled, knowing that it somehow reminded him of himself. He did not dare bring up the memory lest summon another unforgiving migraine-like headache though. He contented himself basking in the warm afterglow of the setting sun.

The eastern wind blew a gust of wind at him, and soon the twenty-some professor realized that he was without clothes save for his loose black cotton boxer. He shivered, and leant on the warm stone window sill for some heat.

A sniper spotted him, and their eyes clashed for an instant. With a naughty grin, the sniper whistled and waved at him. The professor had the grace to look away, abashed, and brought his arms around his chest, feeling somewhat like a girl.

The sniper still waved at him jovially, until his party took notice of his antics and their leader (a lord knight) tore the sakkat off his head and violently ruffled his brown hair, like a noogie of sorts. The sniper scowled, pouting somewhat, and gave a last wave to the professor before the lot of them walked away.

Katze gave a small wave back half-heartedly and trailed his gaze at them for a short distance. His eyes widened a bit when the lord knight snuck a peck on the sniper's cheek. From the distance, he could make out the silhouette of the sniper flailing his arms out; and moments later, two shadows became one.

He willed looking away; he did not need to see this. The sight of the two was both painful and magical for him. It was…endearing and yet at the same time, Katze wished to destroy it.

Why? He was not a spiteful person by nature. A pessimist hiding in a shell of cheer and indifference, no doubt. But never did he think of ill thoughts against other people in line with his dream.

And yet…even from afar, he could see the lord knight whispering something in the sniper's ear. And the younger one would laugh at that, and then would speak something of his mind. This brought a smile of endearment into the lord knight's lips and hugged, nay, crushed the youth into his embrace.

Tears fell unbidden in the professor's eyes. Yet, he continued watching. And watching. Partaking in what could be considered as a romantic suicide. Slitting yourself and watching your blood leak to the floor.

And Katze remained watching, paining himself, and tears marred his cheeks…

* * *

"S-senior, is it okay for us to be even here?"

The priest glanced around wearily, eyeing the tavern with half-disgust and half-wonderment. It was rare for men of their profession to idle in places like these.

"Ke'ep your socks together, mate." The high priest in question made a beeline to the bar, where the bartender shook a few drinks up. "You really need to get out more of'ten."

The priest hesitated, clutching the clipboard tighter to himself. A lot of the customers were of the shady professions: assassins, stalkers, rouges, thieves…it was as if the slum people of Prontera converged in this one hell hole of a beer house.

"Hey, ba'rtenda." The high priest swung on his stool and slid his elbow on the counter. "One Vermilion on the Beach 'ere."

The priest eyed the crowd cautiously, sitting carefully on the stool beside his senior. A few seconds later, a large mug filled to the brim with questionable liquor was set beside him; just in front of his senior.

"Senior!" The priest scolded, turning a scowl on his oblivious companion. "No way are you going to drink that! You've taken your vows!"

The high priest kept mum, and he grinned a knowing grin, before he paid with a few zennies. The bartender only nodded, pocketing the coins and proceeding to serve the next patron.

Clutching the wooden mug securely with one hand, he carefully slid from his stool and walked the distance towards the swinging doors of the tavern. The priest took it as a cue to leave, and he was relieved to an extent, as he eyed the other patrons one last time before he left with his senior.

Both trekked the distance from the tavern to the other side of the city, Prontera Sanctuary. It was nighttime when they came and left the tavern, and the moonlight and the stars seemed to be the only guide to where they were heading to.

"You can go inside 'f you wanna." The high priest spoke, sobered by the environment. He cautiously slid a glance to his companion, to see if he was going to leave him alone.

The priest had breathed a sigh of relief. The Sanctuary suddenly looked like a lighthouse in the middle of a stormy ocean; and he was no idiot to relinquish the opportunity. But he sensed the sudden change in the high priest. He just couldn't put the feeling of what that change was.

"I'm going in, I still have to prepare a report on the relief operations." The priest finally spoke, the other tilting his head in response. "If you need me, senior, I'll be in the office, dusting up the old typewriter."

"Will do, mate. Will do." The high priest made a mock salute, giving a half-hearted grin. This made the priest all the more worried, but he went inside nevertheless.

The moonlight shone in his eyes, dark reflecting light. He trudged the pathway to the back of the Sanctuary; the graveyard to be exact. There, a handful of tombstones adorned the meadow-ish field; a lone tree in the corner stood stark in the scenery.

Just below the tree, an unimpressive pile of rocks were nestled between the wooden buttresses. The high priest cautiously neared the site, eyes glazed and mind adrift elsewhere.

The amber liquid from them mug slowly flowed from the topmost stone down to the pile. The high priest did not give thought in anything save watching the stones glisten under the moonlight with their coating of liquor.

He fell to his knees, quiet; just staring. The crickets sang, and the leaves rustled in the wind. The moon was now at the apex of the sky, everything shone under a semi-morning sun.

_And yet…why is everything still so dark?_

"Father…"

* * *

_Knock knock._

"Huh?"

Katze was brought away from his musing by the window sill. Sensing his apparent state of disarray, he roughly wiped his cheeks dry. He was a bit surprised when the sun had been replaced by the moon now. _How many hours had passed since I woke up?_

"You're awake." Kianu commented. He carried with him a tray of silver filled with something that looked like yellow porridge and a pitcher of water.

Katze remained standing, willing himself not to make any movement. He was still wary of the man before him, even if he was the one who had taken him to this room and had obviously cared for him.

"How long…" Katze cleared his voice, realizing it felt somewhat dried and unused. "How long had I been asleep?"

The other remained quiet, setting the tray on the nearest tabletop. After only fixing the rumpled bed did he finally answer.

"Two days." He spoke softly. "I thought you'd never wake up."

A cold gust of wind suddenly slipped through the open window. Katze horribly shivered, realizing he had been standing only in his boxers for the whole afternoon and for a good part of the early evening. Did castles ever hear about the wondrous mechanics of curtains?

"C'mere." Kianu took the thick, cotton blanket from the bed and made for the brunette. The younger professor was flushing red all over, an apparent reaction from the cold. He hadn't noticed anything else until Kianu draped the blanket around him and carried him, bridal-style, back to bed.

Katze could not forget his hate for this particular blond. Two years should have embedded enough hate for him to resist being carried pathetically and not stone-cursing the blond in place.

And yet…the tiniest whiff of a musk scent caught his nose. The brunette panicked, trying to find the source.

He remembered this scent, could acknowledge the events that revolved around this particularly musk brand of aroma. It was a _manly_ aroma to be exact.

He identified it when he fell sick, and could only make out a shadow beside him; gently patting a cool towel on his forehead to abate the temperature.

Or that one time when he was unconscious, having been attacked by a mob of Dragonflies. A tired body fell beside him afterwards, but the field had been quiet now. The monsters have all gone.

He knew that all those times, it was only Kianu that looked after for him.

It was only him that genuinely cared for him.

Which was why he was terribly hurt, so terribly disappointed, that one day; he did not find the blond beside him anymore.

He almost lost faith that day, but he continued on living.

He had lived those two years alone, and he was doing fine. Until this day…all his beliefs and all of the walls he put up to protect himself broke down somewhat.

He did not know what to do anymore; he suddenly felt so, so helpless.

* * *

Kianu glanced at the quiet brunette once every three seconds, apparently quirked at why he wasn't spouting off how he hated his guts and how he should burn in the deepest pits of hell.

_Could two days of unconsciousness do that to you?_ He asked himself, slightly shaking his head in disbelief.

He had no idea what drove him to suddenly sweep the younger professor off his feet and snuggle him close to his chest as he traversed the distance from the window to the large bed. Kianu thought it was foolishness that appeared in a blue moon; a smaller part of him begged to differ.

Only a few feet more and he can dump Katze on to the bed, feed him, let him sleep and then he can finally go back to his own room.

"…rrrngh…nghrrr…mhmmrmm…"

The brunette was purring! He nearly dropped Katze on the floor, surprised and at the same time…something undeniably warm seemed to creep up from his stomach to his face.

As to further worsen his demise, Katze nudged (nudged?!?) his nose on the crevice where his left arm and his left chest met. Kianu would have not minded otherwise when he suddenly felt something warm and moist tickling his bare left arm.

Surprised, and a bit aroused and shocked, the blond lost all strength in both arms; dropping the brunette straight into the cold, hard floor.

"Shit!" He cried out, lunging and bracing the younger professor towards himself. He twisted their positions, and he caught the brunt of the fall, making an 'oof' sound as the brunette fell on top of him.

Katze still remained oblivious to everything around him, to which Kianu thanked God. He unconsciously held the brunette tighter towards himself, a bit relieved and disbelieving that the brunette wasn't hurt in any way.

Gathering his strength up for a goodly two minutes, he heaved both of them up and out of the somehow warm floor.

Daintily, he lowered the brunette down onto the bed, shaking his head softly at the now-forgotten meal. Carrying the tray with him back outside, he gave one last look at the gently-snoring brunette before he closed the door to the room.

* * *

Since I've been drained of my smart-aleck-ness...I'll leave a thank you to those who painstakingly took time to review. Two weeks per update...woah.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Dun' own Ra'narok. N' pard'n for this bein' la'e. I ha'tta drag ma' scrawny ass off to fin'e me a job.

I spent half of my creative energy on my Bleach fic, so ya 'all woudn't min'd me not having any witty retort for this chapter.

* * *

Name: _Trueno Enjo. _

Birthday: _0VXXVIIXVIIIVI_

Age: _twenty 'un years old_.

Height: _five foot 'leven inches tall._

Weight: _aroun' one 'undred twenty five pounds. _

Hair color: _black (but bleached at the top)_

Eye color: _cyan._

Favorite food: _candy!!_!

Favorite color: _blue, black_

Favorite person: _Yun'ger brother. Uo Katze Enjo _

Motto: . . .

Trueno blankly stared at the three dots that adorned the line supposedly for his motto.

_To get m' younger brother back, m' guess._

"Buuut," Trueno withheld the pen on his hand from writing. "That'd be a silly motto to write on this 'ere new di'ary."

He chuckled to no one, finding the situation a bit light heartening.

Trueno had decided to settle down and relax on the repository for books of the Prontera Sanctuary. A lot of other priests and priestesses opted to stay in there early morning till midday.

Shelves upon shelves of old books, tomes and scrolls lined the walls of the repository. Trueno swore the air was thick with dust a million times older than he was. But he could find other people not minding the musty air, and others even enjoying so; and to this; Trueno would file it on 'one of the greatest mysteries of the world.'

"Wel', time ta' start writin' down me' first entry." Trueno sighed sagely, opening the next page of the journal at hand. He'd have to finish a lot of writing before noontime.

_Dear journal;_

_Well, what can m' say?_

_It's been years in runnin' and I'm still no closer to finding me' brother. Who knows what could have happened ta' 'im by then? _

_Least I heard wuz how 'ee wan'ted ta be a pruffessar. Never 'eard from mum 'bout where 'ee was. And dad was a jerk to 'ave died before tellin' me w'ere I could fin'd Katze._

Trueno sighed, finding himself whining about how he couldn't find his brother. He had felt always felt helpless and depressed after that.

Shaking himself up, he frowned and decided to direct his thoughts away from that depressing subject. Maybe if he found a new object for his ire, he wouldn't feel discouraged much, eh?

His eyes slid immediately towards a flock of priestesses obviously gossiping in a corner. Trueno's eyes narrowed in disbelief at their gaudy blatherings.

_Well, somethin' just caught me eyes. Ever noticed how scandalous those priestess uniferms look like? 'n outsider might think the lot of them are into kinky and ganguro stuff. Ugh…and PINK! Oh, bloody tribulation! Spare mee! Spare meeee_

Trueno chuckled at that, content and satisfied at the disparaging remarks he wrote down on his journal. He immediately halted his laughter upon noticing the growing pairs of angry and irritated eyes at him. He discounted the fact that people must be irritated with his chortling and what not.

_The wo'ld is prett-y vain nowadays. People stoppe'd caring about the real essence of living. Meeting new people, growin' stronge'h with every monste' di-feated…they're all gone. The lot of them had grown mindless, hunt-oriented…can't even talk when ya wanna talk to them. It's every man fer 'imself, is what I think 'ow their minds bloody run._

"Sssshhhh!"

"Huh?" Trueno looked to his back, noticing the thick-glassed librarian shushing him. He was just writing in his journal! Was his pen making such a loud noise as to have disturbed her in her beauty sleep? Which was out of the question anyway, as she's supposed to be awake and actually assist library-goers…

"If you're writing something down, sir, might I suggest you try and actually write down _**quietly?**_" She stopped her scary demeanor upon noticing the offender was a handsome, bleach-haired boy. "Oh…uhm, what I meant was…people can hear you…"

Trueno gawked, almost choking in his own spit, realizing his blunder. He immediately felt a sickening atmosphere of darkness and terror at his left side, debating whether to check what it was or either make a run for it, no questions asked.

"Weell and a good day ta ya, loves…" He grinned nervously at the pack of priestesses who looked scary beyond recognition. There was a row of sharp and pointed thingies being held by the priestesses, and their maniacal growls sent shivers running up and down Trueno's spine.

"**Kinky, huh?" **The leader of the wolf pack…er, the priestesses, stepped forward, a dangerous looking Quadrille on her right hand. **"Into ganguro, huh?"**

"You're awfully mistaken, love." Trueno backed off slowly, clutching at his journal, a nervous grin immediately degrading to a scared whimper. "Ya know, I wusn't talkin' about ye'z…"

"…**and pink! PINK!! BLOODY TRIBULATION!" **She growled, flailing the Quadrille like a war flag for all oppressed pink priestesses. **"DEATH TO THOSE WHO INSULT OUR PINKNESS!!!"**

Trueno howled away, taking it as his cue to immediately run as if Rapture had finally descended. Who knows what horror pink priestesses are capable of doing to his delicate self?

"I apologize! I APOLOGIZE!!!" Trueno cried back desperately, still running desperately for his dignity's sake. Should he try and tithe a pink Sunday Hat to deter his predators?

He kept writing on his journal about his new musings while still giving chase to the mad priestesses hounding him.

* * *

"Katze, are you…oh…"

Katze turned around, from his viewing of a guy being chased by a dozen priestesses, from the window to the now slightly open door. He was just as he was yesterday: still in his black boxers, and looking out at the window with no sense of his surroundings.

A snow-haired head was peeking from it, and Katze would have smiled at the cuteness of the situation. Oh…how he'd forgotten how adorable Kianu can be sometimes! Especially when he was distraught and unsure of what to do!

Deciding to spare the both of them from time-consuming embarrassment and humiliation, Katze collected his breath, gathered what remained of his gall and stood up from his place in the window sill.

"Kianu…please?" Katze leaned onto the warm stone wall beside the window, as he carelessly pointed a finger at the somehow neat-looking bed. He was silently asking the platinum blond to sit down, as they really needed to talk.

The other professor had felt the gravity of the situation (as well as the aura of impending doom Katze was emanating if he would not give in to the demands of the younger boy) and decided at best to comply. Maybe they can finally sort things out without the use of heavy magic and book-bopping.

"How did you find me?" Katze went straight to the point, his eyes now fixed upon the hunched figure of the platinum blond professor.

Kianu flinched, feeling the examining gaze of the other go through him.

"I had my sources…"

Katze nodded, finding the answer satisfying in the least.

"Your turn."

Kianu looked up, a bit confused, as he bit his lip in anticipation.

"Huh?"

"Your turn to ask me any question. It wouldn't be fair to you if it was me doing all the cross-examining."

Katze looked away, a bit irritated and annoyed. He merely glared at the side, fixing his ire upon a vase full of yellow flowers. Ugh…yellow was a cheery color, and he was radiating murderous intents against said abominable flowers…if only glares can wilt flowers, then he'd be a happy guy.

"What happened after I left?"

The younger boy scowled, disliking Kianu's straightforwardness. He was never to beat around the bush, and Katze, who was a procrastinator, and a believer that all good things come to those who wait, was a big antagonist of this particular aspect of the elder professor.

He would not answer looking straight at Kianu. Katze turned around, facing the stone wall and hanging his head in feelings reminiscent of guilt and shame. His shoulders slumped, and his form was that of the weary.

"For all the bragging I did, people scorned and mocked me. 'Oh, Katze the twerp! Just look at him! His so-called rival had left him eating his dust!'" He spoke softly, his tone was now a bit gruff and surly; a trait that showed up when he was emotionally stressed. "I 'ad to muck it all up and kip my 'ead up. I told m'self I wasn't improving myself fer them. I did it fer'…"

Katze blinked, head straightening up as he realized he was speaking in sailor accent. He just covered his mouth and mumbled a soft apology for his brash tone.

"Sorry…my accent just goes awry when I'm stressed is all."

Kianu nodded, not telling that he knew this particular quirk of Katze's. He'd been studying the brunette ever since they shacked up in the same dorm/apartment room when they were still studying in the Juno Academy. He merely waved it off, as if it never happened.

"Your turn –"

Katze peeked from the shadow of his eyes.

"Found your special someone yet?"

Kianu's gaze traveled from the floor up to meet with the younger boy's eyes. Gazes locked with each other, not one willing to back down as if in silent competition.

"I do, I have and I did."

The strength behind Katze's eyes seemed to have died down a bit.

"O-oh…s-so…when can I meet her?" He looked away, losing in their silent battle. "I guess I'm kinda curious to know what kind of girl captured your heart."

He inwardly smirked.

"The kind that walks with a dick."

Kianu carefully observed Katze's face for any reaction. He'd known that Katze was gay, ever since he noticed his obsession with hair gels and his claims of just being 'metrosexual'. And if that didn't bite, how else could he explain the stacks of yaoi doujinshi Katze kept under the mattress of his bed?

* * *

"_Kianu! I'm home!!!"_

"_Quit hollering, stupid! I'm spring-cleaning, and I expect you to pay me back for this!"_

"_Eh? Why? It's not like I asked you to, you know."_

"_Because I've included your part of the room, weirdo."_

"_K'ra…I've been called stupid and an idiot, but you're the only guy who added weirdo into my list."_

"_You're a weirdo because you keep your porn in a place easily seen by other people."_

_Silence._

"_Uhm…by porn…did you mean the comic books I kept below my bed?"_

"_Right underneath the mattress."_

_Gulp._

"_Really, try to be more discrete will you? If it were another person aside from me, yours would have disappeared into their own porn stashes a long time ago."_

"_You…you didn't read it?"_

"_Should I? It's not as if I need more education in the field of sex…or were you deprived sex education when you were in your adolescent years?"_

_Pout._

"_Wipe that smirk off your face, talcum-hair! I bet I know more stuff about sex than you do!"_

"_And still, you're a virgin."_

_Blush._

"_You-p…I-p…don't tell me you've gotten 'some' already!"_

"_Huh?"_

"_Gotten some! You know…uhh…'got' laid…"_

"_Yes."_

"_Uwaah! You're not a virgin anymore!"_

"_I still am."_

"_Huh?"_

_Sigh._

"_I said, 'Yes'." _

"_. . ."_

"_Yes, I haven't gotten laid."_

"_Bastard! You speak and sound all like you've gotten laid…and ultimately, you are still a virgin like me!"_

"_Virginity is a state of mind, idiot."_

"_Da-ka-ra, that's not the point smartass! Whatever…did you return them back underneath the mattress?"_

"_No. I left it in the dining table. You can go keep your own stuff, I'm not doing it for you."_

_Pitter. Patter._

"_Oh my friggin-you told me you didn't read my comic books!"_

"_I didn't say that." "All I said was 'Should I? It's not as if I need-'"_

"_I know what you said, grandpa. But that phrase generally means 'No, I did not read your comics.'"_

"_Nevertheless, I have no interest in what your taste is. I had no idea you were that enamored in the idea of fur loincloths and flat-chested women."_

"_Wha?"_

"_And really. Girls wearing strap-ons? However do you sleep at night thinking about it and waking up with morning wood by the following day?"_

"_THEY'RE NOT GIRLS! THEY'RE MEN, ALRIGHT?!? And how do you know I've been pitching the tent every morning, ecchi?"_

"…"

"_Kianu? O-oi? Why are you turning red? And face me, damnit! Stop sweeping the floor like I wasn't talking to you! Kianu, you pig-headed prodigy! Turn around and answer me, hu'nya!"_

* * *

Kianu finished reminiscing that particular memory, when he noticed how Katze's confused face scrunched up to one with disgust.

"Really, Kianu. She must be that kinky to wear a strap-on for you. Ugh, I really can't understand you straight guys and your fetishes." He made barfing noises to go along, just for the heck of it.

Kianu looked startled for a second, amazed at how idiotic the sullen boy was before him. _Ok, I'm sure he wasn't serious….I hope…_

"Katze…spare me the sarcasm if you will. I tend not to recognize one when it comes from your mouth."

Said boy looked abashed, looking shocked and startled himself. Katze had hoped that it was a joke, in reference to his memory of Kianu finding his yaoi doujinshi collection. Girls with strap-ons were really hard to forget.

"That wasn't a joke? You're…you…"

"Whether I'd be glad or afraid for your sanity, it is the truth."

Katze crumpled on the floor, falling on his knees. Ok…it was easier to swallow if Randall came to him one day and told him he was gay. He had first-hand experience with a sullen gay guy, anyways.

But Kianu? So-called rival and friend, had been gay along, and he never realized it?

"B…but wait. If you're gay…"

Kianu's eye twitched. "I sure hope you aren't fond of that particular term. I find it degrading to my orientation. I'm quite sure I'm not happy and peachy all the time."

"Fine. If you're a _homosexual_…" Katze narrowed his eyes, emphasizing his tone on the new term. "…since when had you known about it?"

Kianu rolled his eyes upwards, contemplating on his answer.

"Ever since I was six…I guess." The platinum blond shrugged, rubbing the back of his head in habit of answers he wasn't quite sure of. "It just happened. One day, I just decided I liked swords better than scabbards."

Katze stood up, swearing to himself that he should stop with the drama. Something irked him though…

"Swords better than scabbards?"

Kianu sighed. _How can anyone be so intellectually adept, and yet, be daft at the same time? Ugh…this is more trouble than I thought._

"O-oh." Kianu was disturbed from his thoughts with Katze clapping his hands together in actualization. "I get it. You compared swords and scabbards to…err…". He looked away, blushing a very deep crimson.

Katze felt light-hearted at that moment, realizing he never did have fun ever since Kianu left. And now that he was back…he was happy. _Not gay._ Just happy…that he had finally somebody to talk to that understood and related to him.

_I guess I should try and forgive him. He left because I was simply unable to catch up to him. _

"I guess you have a point…" Katze looked up, for the first time since they meet two years after, a smile graced his face. "You can never duel swords with scabbards anyway, huh? Sword fights are always fought with two swords."

Kianu reddened at the younger boy's smile. He didn't know what made him do so, but it was the first in a long time since he had seen this type of a genuine grin in Katze's countenance. He agreed with what the younger boy said.

"My thoughts exactly." He grinned back, though less intense than the other boy.

Katze stood up, hiding the bulging feeling in his throat. Slowly, he walked towards the bed, where Kianu sat.

The other boy quirked an eyebrow as well, wondering at what the brunette might be thinking. Katze was never one for initiative, usually he had to be prodded to do something. He was a procrastinator, and Kianu had once scoffed at Katze for that kind of outlook in life.

The talk between them might have consumed two hours, as sunlight streaming through the window was now slowly creeping towards the foot of the bed. People outside could be heard walking and talking around; everybody was busy as it was Monday, a workday for most people.

Katze slowly sat himself at Kianu's side, the mattress digging downwards to occupy his weight. Kianu shifted slightly, making himself comfortable once more.

The brunette peeked upwards, eyes hidden behind the fringe of his hair.

"Listen…I'm sorry I shouted at you back then." Katze spoke softly, habitually playing with his fingers whenever he felt nervous. "Two years is a long time for a person to think…but it made me realize that…I guess…I…you…"

Kianu's heart paced one beat faster. _What is he saying? Is he…trying to confess?_

Katze slapped himself awake, shaking his head afterwards to throw off jittery nerves. This is the perfect chance for him to say this, and damnit he was going to say it!

"Kianu…pleasedontleavemeagain.IreallymissedyouandIguessioverreactedwhenifoundoutyouweregone.Iknowitwasn'tyourfaultandstilliblamedyou!Pleaseforgiveme.I'msosorry!"

Kianu was startled at the onslaught of words that came out of Katze. He did get the message out of the jumble of letters and phrases, but he never did find the three word phrase he was somewhat afraid of, and expecting at the same time, out of the mass of semi-construed letters.

And if that wasn't enough to surprise him, Katze tackled him without any hesitation. The blond fell on his back on the bed, with the brunette lying on his chest, digging his face on the fabric of his uniform. He did not protest though, when he heard a bit of sobbing in Katze's part.

"I-It's just that…everyone I loved…m-my mother...brother…s-sister…t-they left me when I was still a child. F-father controlled my life b-before I got enrolled at the Academy…And then there was you…you were…l-like family to me…you made me forget how sad it felt to be alone…I never want to be alone again…I-I don't wanna…and t-then you disappeared one day…and I stopped caring…s-stopped hoping that maybe someday…s-somebody will walk with me down the road…l-live with me…"

Kianu understood why Katze was angry back then. He fully understood now. Katze was never angry that he left him in the first place without any say-so. He never was. He was angry because…

"…when you came back…t-that was that…y-you broke me. Y-you broke my resolve…I hoped again…when I saw you…and I don't wanna hope anymore. Life can't be a fairy tale for a guy like me…there's no prince to sweep another prince off his feet…there's no happily ever after…o-only 'The End'."

Kianu hurt. He hurt because he thought of the same thing. He had the same idea…same thoughts as Katze had shared with him. No future…no tomorrow…no love for a guy like him. For both of them. And while Katze hoped that a miracle will happen, Kianu did otherwise. He lived in the present, and never thought about tomorrow. Because nobody lives in the tomorrow….they only live in the now…and sometimes…only the present matters in order for you to have a future.

"I know what you mean, Katze."

"I truly do…"

"…Kianu?"

"Please, let me just promise you one thing."

"…Kianu, what…what are you talking about?"

"I promise to be by your side from now on. Never leave you alone. No matter what."

"…please stop. Don't say things like that. You and I both know –"

" – that I never break promises."

" – that you have a future ahead for you. You're Chief Scribe of the castle, for crying out loud. And I'm just the lowly troublemaker that blows up unsuspecting inns."

Silence.

"Shit."

"No. Don't panic. It's taken care of. An alibi has been passed down. You're safe in any case."

"Alibi? There were tons of people that could serve as witnesses to incriminate me."

"All taken care of. They were paid to keep their mouths shut, and I handled all negotiations with the innkeeper. Provided you don't go back in there, as what he said, and that we shoulder the reconstruction expenses…he won't charge you."

"…wow."

"And just to make sure, I added in a whirlpool tub for guarantee that he'll forget the whole thing."

"Kianu, you smug, rich bastard."

"I know."

Smirk.

"You know I cannot repay everything you've done for me."

"Not asking anything back…"

"…somehow, I fail to see the period at the end of that sentence."

"…but you do have to render your services to the castle, though."

"I knew it."

Sigh.

"You're Assistant to the Chief Scribe. And if you resist, I'll have the castle guards come here and throw you to the dungeon for blowing up a public property of Prontera."

"Wai- wha? Assistant to the…you? Bu-but…me…you…job? How…wait a second…bu-bu-but…"

"Hold your blubber mouth down. Your records show you're currently unemployed, so I figured a job wouldn't hurt. I will be taking half of your salary as payment though…for all the trouble and money I had to spend so you wouldn't go to jail."

"How much is my salary gonna be?"

"Smartass. It's two million zennies per month. Remove half of it plus tax, that'll leave you with nine hundred fifty thousand zennies."

"…cheapskate."

Smirk.

"You're starting today. So fess up and get dressed by ten."

* * *

Trueno wept..

Who knew Priestesses had the endurance of a horse? _Pink horses to be exact_, he snorted. But going back to his main trail of thoughts…they've been at it for an hour and a half already.

Running to be exact. They've spanned the whole city of Prontera forty eight times now, running in circles from the Sanctuary, to the Chivalry house-thingy, down to the Wedding Shop, on the right towards the Kafra Lady of the satellite city-Izlude, and back up to Sanctuary.

The high priest thought the monsters…err, the priestesses would give out after a few laps, but his ass had quite a few close encounters with their snapping jaws already. And unfortunately, his energy was running out.

"**GET BACK HERE!!! RAAARGH!!"** The lot of them snarled, showing no sign of fatigue whatsoever. They were still chasing after him, and keeping their pace, not to mention in their high heels. Oh…gosh…the training priestesses must have in order to support a party in high heels!

"Woa'…holy mmph –"

Trueno, in his musing, failed to notice a pair of high-length, gloved hands grab his waist and haul him inside a merchant's cart. The cart was spacious, decorated with a small canopy and flowers on its side. There was even a small tarpaulin roof covering the contents of the cart.

_Should be a gal's cart. Ow! She mus' be reelly loaded to have 'igh quality stuff like this in 'er cart!_

Trueno swallowed, at awe with the loot and treasures of said cart. Cowboy hats, Angel Wings, Devil Wings, Solar God Helms, fully upgraded swords and shields…and oh my…was that a Mejingard!?! Two MEJINGARDS?!?!? (1)

The high priest dampened his panting at the moment when he caught peek of pink skirts near the cart he was hidden. With all the inhuman capabilities high priestesses possessed, Trueno was sure damned they would have inherited the super sonic hearing of bats…

"Pardon, but have you seen a guy with bleached hair just at the top of his head? He's a high priest and he should be around here somewh-"

Trueno was sweating profusely. He hoped whoever his savior was would do a good job of fending his assailants off.

Hopefully with a ten foot pole.

"**AAEEEIII!!! RUN FOR IT!!!**" Trueno almost fell on his peeking position, when he heard the screeches of the harpies…err, I mean priestesses, make a dash for it away from his hiding the place.

I mean, like, wow. That ten foot pole must be spiky too. Full of rusty, sharp nails.

The tarpaulin roof of the cart opened to reveal a Creator. He was still fairly young, looking like fifteen or sixteen. The boy extended his hand towards Trueno, who graciously took it as a sign for him to get out.

The boy had wide, scathing dark-green eyes. He was almost a foot shorter than Trueno, who surmised he must be a five-four or a five-five. He had dark, really dark hair; but like Trueno, his top was tinted. While Trueno had his hair bleached white, the boy had his own hair colored deep grey.

After helping the high priest out, the boy merely scoffed, sat back at the side of his cart, set up shop, and leaned on a lamp post, closing his eyes to take a cat nap. It took two seconds flat for the boy to immediately snore, to which Trueno sweat dropped in disbelief.

"O-oi…" Trueno squatted in front of the boy, poking his forehead, to try and wake him up. What type of person helps another, scares off his attackers, and then sleeps after helping said person?

The boy's right eye flashed open, irritated and annoyed in all sense. His right foot immediately shot up between Trueno's squatted legs, dangerously close to his family jewels, and right up the center of his ass.

"**YOW!!!** **Fuckin' bloody Christine!!!"** Trueno howled, jumping up a few feet high in the air, before landing on his side and rolling on the street as if his clothes caught on fire; all the while keeping his hand between his legs and over the sore area where the boy kicked him hard.

"**Apple taffy Grace!!! Mediocre trickster Polly!!! Sissy pants Sue!!!"** The priest continued spouting off nonsense as he continuously rolled on the street, trying to appease the disgruntled bundle of sore nerves in his ass. Technically, those weren't curse words…but Trueno had to find something to redirect his anger, didn't he?

Trueno continued whimpering, ass up in the air for all passersby to see, as he mumbled incoherencies onto the stone pavement his cheek was having a nice meeting with. The people who saw merely snickered, unused to seeing stuff like this happen everyday. What can they expect? This is Prontera, after all.

A shiver suddenly shot up his spine, chilling Trueno to the deepest pits of his stomach. He turned around, seeing the boy holding a small vial of clear, yellow liquid. Or_ was holding_ anyway. The contents of the vial dribbled down from the center of his ass, down to the insides of his thighs.

"Ei! That wuss uncalled fer!" Trueno immediately stood up, standing awkwardly with feet separated to emphasize the wetness between his thighs. "Ye got some bloody stuff ruinin' me pants!"

The creator shrugged, sitting back down where he sat minutes ago. He turned voyeur afterwards, running eyes up and down Trueno's body, and appreciating the view.

"Oi! Bloody mary…whut are ya turning perve't at?" Trueno hugged himself, not liking the creator's somewhat-perverted gleam in his eyes.

The boy, after almost an hour of silence, finally spoke.

The boy stood up, trying to reach towards Trueno's height. With a cocky smirk, he spoke for the first time in hours.

"Marry me."

* * *

Katze yawned, as he walked down the length of the castle's corridors.

The elder professor had left him in his room earlier, letting him clean himself up, bathe, get dressed, eat and ready himself for his work.

While most people had to contend waiting in line to give their resumes, have their interview, and hope to be accepted for castle duty; Katze had the privilege of skipping all of it and be accepted at a job that was high paying and suitable for his line of work.

"Oh, tee-hee." Katze drawled, finding the irony in the irony of situations. "Here I am looking for a job, and one day I get a high paying one. It is within the line of my work as professor, but damnit, I'm aiming for the outside world! Not cooped up in some damn, musty room with…"

He halted in mid-thought, Kianu suddenly drifting into his mind. They found each other…after two years…all the praying and crying he did paid off.

"I guess I could stomach the boredom…Kianu is with me after all." He smiled wanly; feeling excited all of a sudden. Maybe even giggly, but that was pushing it too far.

Platinum blond hair peeked out from a corner, and strong eyes settled on the giggling brunette. Kianu raised an eyebrow, unsure whether to snap Katze out of his delusion or let him be in his own little, happy _gay_ world. Ugh…there goes that term again!

"Katze…hey. Snap out of it." The blond stood in the younger professor's way, calling out to him as he got nearer and nearer.

The brunette paid no heed, still dreamy and somewhat dazed. He was only able to snap himself out of dreamland when he found himself sprawling on the floor, limbs tangled, with the person he was just musing about earlier.

"K-Kianu! The hell you weren't looking where you were going!" Katze snapped, hiding the fact that he was the one at fault and that Kianu had been the center of his thoughts. Friend and rival made no difference now. What's important was he was not alone.

"You're one to speak to your boss like that." Kianu snapped back, a bit irritated by Katze's obstinacy. "Act like that in front of me again in public and I'll have you scrubbing the dungeon toilets with your toothbrush."

Katze made a small 'eep' and immediately disentangled himself, standing up and assisting his 'boss' up. Kianu made a satisfied sound and plopped his hand at the top of Katze's head; to which the younger professor pouted.

"Be ready to assist me. I'm meeting some dignitaries from Amatsu who will carry with them a letter for King Tristan. Act dignified, greet them, and accept the letter from them. I'll handle the curtsies and small talk."

Katze nodded at the directions, immediately fixing his fox scarf, the belts on his pants, and the silk trailing from both his hands. Kianu did little maintenance on his, rather fixing his hair than above anything else.

They exited a door from the right side, going out towards the castle courtyard. It was a suitable meeting place for outsiders, as there were seats and benches scattered around, nestled beneath humungous trees of oak, cherry and ginkgo.

Leaves of various shapes and colors started to form a shower of foliage, and Katze appreciated the magic of the atmosphere.

A small thought where Kianu suddenly grabs him and kisses him without hesitation right at the spot they were walking at crossed his mind, but Katze shook his head in an instant; berating himself for thinking wayward thoughts with his friend. Maybe he should be the one taking a _real_ shower right now, so that Mr. Dick would go away.

He broke from his musing when he heard a small cough at his side. Kianu was staring at him from the corner of his eye, noticing he was gazing at nothing again. Katze scoffed, but thought otherwise of putting up a fight in public. He settled for ignoring him and wondering at a pair of people in purple with oversized scarves.

"Ninjas, Katze. Ninjas." Kianu gritted between tight lips, his face still directed towards their guests. Of course, Katze knew what they were. He wasn't an otaku for nothing!

Katze gazed curiously at the duo, interests piqued at seeing people of another culture. One ninja had raven black hair, pale skin, and unusually red irises. He was pointedly ignoring the blond ninja beside him, who sported squinty eyes, whisker scars on both sides of his cheeks. Both ninjas had their sakkats hanging lazily from their neck.

Katze generalized the blond was trying to convince the other boy about something. He couldn't explain the slowly-growing blush the raven-haired boy sported though.

"Good afternoon." Kianu greeted them, a bit unsure whether it was the right thing to do as both ninjas glared at him at once for his intrusion. "Travellers from Amatsu, I presume?"

The elder of the two (Katze presumed it was the raven-haired boy) nodded. "Yes. Are you Chief Scribe Kianu?"

Katze raised an eyebrow at the somewhat broken English the ninja spoke. Sure, it was grammatically and semantically correct, but the way he spoke suggested he wasn't as accustomed in using the language.

Kianu didn't look unperturbed at his accent though. "Yes, I am. Welcome to Prontera City."

The boy nodded, satisfied. He turned to his companion at once, who was idly scratching his whisker scars.

"_Naruto, doko ni arimasu ka?_" (Naruto, where is it?")

Japanese! Both ninjas spoke japanese! Ooh, wait till he showed Kianu he knew how to speak the language! Kianu was sure to bleed in jealousy!

The blond turned to answer; Katze realized the blond was pointedly observing him as well. He just didn't realize it as the blond's eyes were too squinty for him to notice 'Naruto' was gazing at him.

"_Uh? Doko nani, Sasuke?_" ("Uh? Where what, Sasuke?")

'Sasuke' immediately rubbed his temples, as if expecting that type of answer from the blond ninja.

"_Tegami, Naruto. Tegami su_." ("Letter, Naruto. The letter.")

The blond scratched his head in embarrassment, saying '_warui, warui, Sasuke'_ ('my bad, my bad, Sasuke) before he did a hand seal. A scroll popped out of thin air, save for the dramatic smoke that accompanied all ninja magicks. Katze's nose wrinkled at the smell. It smelled like ozone, strong and rancid.

"Here. Letter." Naruto cheerily presented the scroll, to which Katze accepted, bowing in thanks. He returned to his position beside the raven-haired ninja. Katze noted the blond was a bit dull when it came to English; 'Sasuke' did a better job talking the talk.

"_Psst. Sasuke-teme…anata-tachi wakarimasu nihonggo omoi masu ka_? (Psst, hey Sasuke (rude form)…do you think they understand Japanese?")

Sasuke's eyes traveled from the confused expression of Kianu to the calculating look his assistant was showing. He mildly shook his head.

"_Iie, so omoi masen."_ ("No, I do not think so.")

And not letting the insult slide, he automatically bonked Naruto on the head with his free hand. The blond squatted, muttering cute 'itai, itai's while nursing a bump from Sasuke's ministration.

_So they think we…or rather, __**I**__ don't understand what their saying eh? Oooh, this'll be fun. _Katze thought to himself, snickering inwardly. Kianu turned towards him, his face a bit confused at the conversation.

"I am sure you're tired." He spoke much slower this time, to which Sasuke turned his attention to. "The castle has prepared a room for you, as requested, for the night. Please stay with us."

Sasuke nodded, with Naruto muttering something along the lines of 'what are they talking about' in Japanese. "We appreciate the kindness and hospitality. We accept the accommodations. Please."

Kianu nodded, glad that everything is going well. "Very well, please follow my assistant to your room. He will be your guide for the whole day until tomorrow."

Katze fixed a surprised and hateful glare at Kianu at that. Wai…wait! He was gonna be tour guide for two foreigners in Prontera? And hell, he wasn't informed where their room was!

"Room beside yours. Here's the key." Kianu slid towards him, discreetly depositing a key on Katze's pocket. "Sorry for not informing you, but you took so long to get down I wasn't able to tell you about your role for today."

"Hell, no!" Katze gritted back. "You and I both know I don't do well with people relations and stuff. I'd sooner kill them once they start bickering and/or annoying me or one another."

Kianu smirked at that. "Quick, choose! You serve them hand and foot for one day or you get to brush your teeth and feel the aftertaste of dungeon grime! Ok! Thinking time!!!" He leered, snapping his fingers to start the time.

"Ok! Ok!" Katze shushed him. "They might hear you, bastard!"

"So?"

"Fine. Fine. I'll serve 'em hand and foot. But only one day. ONE DAY!" He emphasized it with one finger.

Kianu grinned, showing off his pearly whites. Turning around to the confused travelers, he pointed towards Katze.

"My assistant will make sure that you will have everything you need. He will be serving you hand and foot, so if you want anything…ANYTHING at all, just tell him, ok?"

Katze groaned, he was gonna kill Kianu in private for this! The raven-haired boy nodded, and when the blond pulled at his sleeve to ask for a translation of what Kianu said, Katze groaned even more.

The blond's disconcerting grin was an omen of hard times to come.

* * *

(1) If you don't understand any of the Ragna-speak, all the items I mentioned means that the guy is pretty much loaded. If it were in real life, he'd be president of a second world or first world country. –drool-

Well, I hope that was sufficient. Update maybe next week. And please tell me if you haven't recieved any reply to your review. I dunno if the darn review response thingy works.


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